


Burnt Sugar

by exohousewarming, wulfpup



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: (slight) Enemies to Lovers, Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates, M/M, rich kids au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-25
Updated: 2017-09-25
Packaged: 2019-01-05 08:51:26
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 22,683
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12186840
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/exohousewarming/pseuds/exohousewarming, https://archiveofourown.org/users/wulfpup/pseuds/wulfpup
Summary: Prompt number:318Side Pairings (if any):Kai/KyungsooWarnings:casual sex, Baekhyun can cookSummary:Baekhyun is not looking for love when he moves in with Chanyeol. And Chanyeol, well, Chanyeol is looking for a fight.





	Burnt Sugar

**Author's Note:**

> **Author Note:** Please give this loads of love. The story is set in Seoul but I haven't been there. I humbly beg your pardon if I have screwed up the names of places in the city. This was supposed to be fluffy and cute but ended up taking an angsty turn along the way. The prompt was so quirky it instantly caught my eye. Thank you, dear prompter. I hope everyone likes it. Also, a huge thank you to the the cutest mods of the century, Mods N and Z. Happy autumn. :)
> 
> Come say hello to me. My Twitter Id - [Wulfpup6104](https://twitter.com/wulfpup6104)

Chanyeol was royally pissed. Pissed was an understatement. He was positively murderous. What began as a fun night out with his closest friends had turned into a nightmare for him.

  
"I. Don't. Need. A. Roommate." he spelled the words out for Kai. The words were addressed to his flat mate but it was his flat mate's boyfriend, Kyungsoo, who shrank back in his seat.

  
"Park, you are making my boyfriend squirm," Kai said in his low voice. Very little seemed to perturb him.

  
Chanyeol looked at Kyungsoo apologetically, "I am sorry Kyungsoo. You know this is not directed at you. When Kai said last year that you are joining us in our flat as his roommate, I was the one to congratulate him first. I welcomed you with champagne and cigar if you remember." He trailed his fingers through his ash gray hair. "But there are already five of us at the apartment, and I know its spacious and all and can room ten people, but, no. Simply no. I do not like sharing my room."

  
"Because otherwise, you can't bring the girls home. We understand, hyung." Sehun winked, taking a chug of his beer.

  
Chanyeol scowled in Sehun's direction, not saying anything for a while. Tao joined them in their booth soon after, his hands holding five beer mugs.  
"Refill, guys!" he said. Tao looked around, and whined, "Are we still on the subject on Baekhyun hyung joining us in the apartment? I like hyung. I say, bring it on."

  
Chanyeol let out a frustrated growl. Why must all his flat mates like this Baekhyun person? He had never even met this friend of Kyungsoo's before. Apparently, Baekhyun has been to their apartment plenty of times, and his flat mates seemed to like him.

  
Kyungsoo began timidly, his hand clutching Kai's arm for comfort, "I know this is probably asking too much from you. Just hear me out. Baekhyun just needs a place for this semester. He had a fall out with his present landlord and has nowhere to go at such a short notice. He will pay and everything, too. He works part time at the bakery and he will bake us any treats we like."

  
Aha, thought Chanyeol. Mystery solved. Tao and Sehun were in favour of bringing this person, this baker, home for the treats!

  
"He has applied for hostel accommodation at the University and he will definitely get it next semester. Just six months, Chanyeol."  
"Why can't he share your room then?"  
Sehun snorted, "You are the one with the double bed in your room, hyung."  
"Are you telling me that I have to share my bed with him now? Can't he - can't he sleep on the floor or something?"

  
Kyungsoo pursed his lips, thoroughly judging his boyfriend's best friend. Chanyeol was not a bad sort. Only rich. Rich kids don't have compassion, he was beginning to learn. He wondered if it would not be better for Baekhyun to just room with Jongdae in his stinky one room set rather than rooming with the arrogant Park Chanyeol.

  
"What are you saying?" Kai's voice finally rose, “Your room is the biggest. It is so large that even with the double bed; there is still ample space for a small single bed. No, wait, stop protesting. How long have we been flat mates? Ever since high school. Tao and Sehun have been roomies since the beginning. I was Kris hyung's roommate until he moved back to China. You, of course, had Yerim. But it has been a year since you guys broke up. You can afford to show some kindness to Kyungsoo's friend, who is nothing less than a good human being. You may think of this as charity if you will."

  
Kyungsoo's eyes shot towards his boyfriend. Charity! Byun Baekhyun would die before taking someone's charity! He and Kai will have to work on the latter's choice of words.  
"He is so cute you will want to cuddle him in bed." Tao supplied enthusiastically, but it only made Chanyeol become more determined to hate Baekhyun.  
"Very well. I guess, you guys have the say in who gets to stay. I can see when I am outnumbered. Fine." Chanyeol let out a breath, before turning towards Kyungsoo. "Tell him to stay out of my way. He must not climb on my bed with his dirty feet and tell him that I hate small talk with strangers. Ask him to sleep on the couch if he can't deal with my loud music. I hate sharing clothes. I hate other people touching my stuff."  
"And I hate when you act like the baby of the group. Quit groveling." Sehun rolled his eyes.

  
Kyungsoo sighed, already feeling bad for Baekhyun. "Anything else?"  
Chanyeol knitted his brow, "Oh, and he is not to attend to his calls in my room. He can go out to the balcony, or the living room. When I bring a date home, he should sleep on the living room couch. His toiletries must not litter my bathroom. He can keep his toothbrush under his pillow or whatever."

  
"He is a human being, Chanyeol." Kai was aghast.  
"Well, these are my terms." he said with an air of finality.

 

 

Baekhyun was in no position to refuse those terms. He needed a place real quick, or he would go mad holed up in Jongdae's box sized room. Jongdae was from a far off village, and he too was struggling to pay his tuition fees and make ends meet. They were all small towners. Him, Kyungsoo, and Jongdae, thrown together in the capital city by their common love for music. Jongdae's parents had refused to pay for music school, and here he was, working as a part time cashier at a music store. Kyungsoo fared a little better. His parents sent him enough money to pay for his expenses and tuition fees. At least he did not have to work part time. He was also lucky enough to have met Kai at a song and dance festival last year.

  
Their connection was instant and intense. Kai lost no time in asking Kyungsoo to live together with him. If Kyungsoo had known before shifting that Kai was the son of a powerful politician, he would have been downright intimidated. But his boyfriend never treated Kyungsoo and his friends any differently or thought of them as lesser mortals, which could certainly not be said about Chanyeol.

  
Tao and Sehun were rich brats too, but they were endearing. Both of them studied in a private school attended by the capital's posh crowd. Tao swore by Gucci and Sehun would not be caught dead without Louis Vuitton. They drove a Maserati on Mondays to school followed by Lamborghini on Tuesdays. Other days were arbitrary. Despite their brand whoring, Kyungsoo soon found out that they were sweet kids in need of constant love and affection. They were the babies of the house, long and lanky on the outside, but cream puffs on the inside.

  
Chanyeol was a different story. He came from an affluent family too, but he had been taught by his father at an early age that it was not prudent to flaunt money thus. He was ruthless in other ways, ruthless in ways than only rich kids could be. Insensitive, arrogant, thoughtless, demanding and childish. Park Chanyeol had a number of negatives to his credit, but what Kyungsoo liked about him was he was a genuine person, there was no lie in his heart, no cunning or deceit.

  
"So, you're telling me that he absolutely hates me without even having met me once?"

  
"I am telling you to just be grateful for the fact that you have a roof over your head for the next six months. And yeah, basically that he hates your guts. That too."  
Baekhyun twiddled his toes in Jongdae's small room. Eventually, he shrugged, "I guess beggars can't be choosers, right?"

  
Kyungsoo gave him a bear hug, "You will be fine. I stay there too, remember? Just keep out of Chanyeol's way and you shall be fine."  
Baekhyun sighed.

 

 

  
Chanyeol was doing a pretty good imitation of being busy. He was sprawled on his bed with his head phones on, hugging his favourite pillow, and flicking through a car magazine. Can't they see he was busy and could not be bothered to go greet the newcomer? Kai had poked inside the room to call him thrice already. But Chanyeol was in no mood of complying. He had been a difficult child growing up. He could be difficult even now. That boy, his roommate, Baker Baekhyun had arrived with his luggage in tow. They were laughing in the hall, and Tao sounded too excited. Chanyeol could tell because he only had his headphones on for show. He could hear everything.

  
Baekhyun had a unique voice and a peculiar laugh. Chanyeol decided right then and there that he did not like the voice or the laughter. It was noise to his ears. His own voice was deep, able to charm ladies out of their panties in less than sixty seconds. He looked in distaste towards the small bed that had made its home in what used to be his favourite corner of the room.

Kyungsoo and Kai had diligently arranged the bed the day before and set up the space Baekhyun would be occupying. Those two also made him free up a shelf in his walk in closet for Baekhyun's clothes. Chanyeol had acted as though he could not care less, but how could he not care less! An invasion was happening right under his nose. He must be very vigilant, freedom was at peril.

  
Sehun dashed inside his bedroom presently and mouthed "He's coming." before dashing out again. That bastard looked gleeful enough.

  
The boy that walked in was nothing like Chanyeol expected. He had imagined a mousy, timid, hapless young fellow; the person who walked in was anything but. Although small in stature, Baekhyun carried himself with confidence. Chanyeol took a proper look at Baker Baekhyun, taking in the pale skin, long neck, and pink hair before nodding at the boy gruffly. Kyungsoo followed Baekhyun inside the room.  
"Baekhyun, meet Chanyeol. Chanyeol, meet Baekhyun."

  
Baekhyun gave a polite bow but Chanyeol merely waved his hand, not bothering to get up from his reclining position. Seconds later, he scrunched his nose in distaste.

  
"Why do I smell strawberries?" He sniffed twice, thrice, four times, finally sitting up on his bed. Kyungsoo froze, but Baekhyun bore it quite well.  
"It's me. I baked three different strawberry cakes today." Baekhyun's tone was polite.  
"Are you always going to smell like this?" Chanyeol made sure his tone was not polite.

  
Baekhyun looked taken aback for a millisecond before narrowing his eyes.  
"Like what?" he asked defiantly, throwing politeness out of the window.  
"Like flour, butter, and strawberries?" Chanyeol made a gagging sound.  
"I work in a bakery. Of course, I will smell like this."

  
The gall of the baker! Chanyeol stood up to full height.  
"Then I suggest you shower the first thing after coming home from work. And must your hair be pink too? I am allergic to all things pink."  
"I can see that." Baekhyun crossed his arms, "But since I do not have any problem with your hair colour, I see no reason why you should have a problem with mine."  
"What's wrong with my hair colour?" Chanyeol challenged. His ash gray hair was glorious and made him look twice as aristocratic.  
"I don't know." Baekhyun replied with an even face, "It looks as though a pile of hay got burnt in a fire and the ashes got drenched in rain."

  
Chanyeol sputtered. "I don't like him, Kyungsoo."  
Kyungsoo looked on haplessly.  
"I don't like you either." Baekhyun spat back. Cheeky little monster.  
Kyungsoo face palmed.

  
Chanyeol stood looking at both Kyungsoo and Baekhyun, towering over them, unable to put his disbelief in words. Instead of being grateful, this little git was talking back!

  
"It matters not a whit whether you like me or not. My roof. My rules."  
"Kyungsoo has already made your rules clear to me. If you have newer ones to add to that long list, please stick a note on the fridge." Baekhyun turned away from him then, picking his bags, " Kyungsoo, will you help me unpack?"

  
And just like that, Park Chanyeol, the man of the house, was dismissed. Chanyeol stormed out of his room. Their room now. The room he would share with the monster.

  
He spent a large part of the evening sulking at his favorite bar, feeling thoroughly betrayed by his own friends.

  
Suzy, his favorite waitress, was giving him definite signs tonight. Signs that she would love to do the dirty with him. Chanyeol welcomed the advances, embracing the heat that engulfed his nether region when Suzy boldly caressed his thigh as she walked by. His pants were too tight for his dick. He would like nothing better than to take her home, get her out of that ridiculously cute and short dress, and ram into her for a good hour or so.  
He cursed his horrid luck. Instead of Suzy, he would be sharing his room with that insolent brat.

Chanyeol immediately held his nose upon entering his room. It fucking smelled of strawberries. With horror, he realised Baekhyun had turned his corner of the room into an altar of pink. The pillow was pink, the covers were pink, there was a poster of Girl's Generation on the wall, and they were wearing pink dresses. Chanyeol took deep, calming breaths. He must endure.

  
His roommate was already under the covers, sleeping. Chanyeol checked his watch. It was eleven pm. Great! His room mate must be an early riser then. Just his luck.  
The cloying smell of strawberry shampoo assaulted his nose when he went to the washroom to take a shower.

  
"God fucking hell!" he muttered, praying for endurance.

Chanyeol soon discovered that his roommate had a super power. The power of Invisibility. Boy, could Baekhyun make himself scarce. His roommate would be awake long before him, and the guy must be noiseless as well, because, by the time he woke up, Baekhyun would already be washed and dressed, ready for college. Chanyeol would groggily walk in the kitchen for his yogurt, and Baekhyun would already be ladling out pancakes for the kids of the house, lapping up their praises about how good a cook he was.

  
At first, Chanyeol was reluctant to eat Baekhyun's pancakes. But a college student can only say no to treats for so long. The minute Baekhyun would leave for college, Chanyeol would devour his share of pancakes, a fact that was not lost on any of his flat mates.

  
Their good mornings were always curt, their conversations hardly extended beyond the usual hello. Sleep time was mostly okay if one discounted the fact that Baekhyun made weird noises before and after going to bed. Chanyeol got home quite late every day, well past his annoying roommate's bed time.

  
Chanyeol found out that he had a super power too. Super Sniffing Ability. It was a power he could do without. The annoying strawberry smell was everywhere. In his room. In his bathroom. In the kitchen where Baekhyun made breakfast and sometimes baked treats for Sehun and Tao. In the balcony where Baekhyun would go out to attend his calls. Chanyeol would have confiscated the shampoo if only Baekhyun left his toiletries in the washroom.

  
Chanyeol disliked the smell, and he disliked Baekhyun. He only wished he could dislike the pancakes as well.

  
He hated that he had to text Baekhyun every time he decided to bring a girl home from the club, which was at least twice every week, so that the baker fellow could scoot someplace off and give them privacy. He would come home in the arms of some random chick to find Baekhyun curled up on the couch in the living room. Chanyeol's girls would be tall and slim. Long legs and hour glass figures were his types. Park Chanyeol did not do pint sized and chubby. Park Chanyeol did not do cute either. Cute irritated him. Cute reminded him of his nasty roommate with the pink hair and rounded bottom.

 

They were lounging in Tao and Sehun's room that evening, watching a blockbuster movie in Tao's brand new home theatre with the lights out. It was Kyungsoo's turn to cook dinner and the owl faced boy was tinkering with pots and pans in the kitchen. Baekhyun had returned from the bakery a while back and joined the boys after taking his customary shower.

  
As a rule, Baekhyun sat as far apart from Chanyeol whenever they were in the same room. Chanyeol was distracted. The baker almost never uttered a single sentence whenever he was around, but Chanyeol heard the loud curses and whines when Sehun and Baekhyun played video games. Baekhyun was a mile a minute talker.  
It was not what Baekhyun said, never that. The pink haired boy purposefully ignored him on every occasion, which was super fine with him, really. But it was his general presence, and that smell wafting around him that bothered Chanyeol no end.

  
Kyungsoo peered inside the room, "Is the movie finished yet? Dinner's almost done. Should I serve it here instead of the living room?"

  
Kai lifted his head from Sehun's thighs, "I am so sleepy. Bring the food here, Soo. I do not have the strength to get up."

  
Kyungsoo looked fondly at his boyfriend before his eyes fell on the eager faces of the others. "You know, food will be served that much quicker if one of you volunteered to help."

  
Tao and Sehun quickly averted their eyes. "It's movie time."

Kyungsoo sighed. These lazybones!

  
"Not you, Baekhyunnie. You just came back from work. You must be tired as it is."  
"It's okay." the pink haired boy said, quietly standing up. "The boss did not make me run around today."

  
Chanyeol's eyes followed Baekhyun as the boy walked out of the room. He was not a fool. He knew why Kyungsoo was in the kitchen today. Usually, it was Baekhyun who cooked elaborate meals. Chanyeol would come home, late in the night as was his wont, to find savoury food nicely laid on the table for him, covered and still warm. He had sampled Kyungsoo's cooking million times already to know the difference between his cooking and Baekhyun's. But Baekhyun never cooked if Chanyeol was already home for dinner, not since Chanyeol had refused to eat the _Samgyetang_ Baekhyun had prepared on his third day here. He had slept with a hungry stomach that night, pouting like a child. Back then, Chanyeol was still touchy that his flat mates had forced a roommate on him.

  
If Baekhyun were to cook now, Chanyeol would not behave in such a petty manner. It was just the pies and pastries and custards and jellies that he could not stand, and that God horrible smell clinging around the boy. Baekhyun cooked divine, every day preparing something new, mostly at Tao and Sehun's egging, Chanyeol assumed. The ash gray haired boy was learning the ropes of his father's business and would stay late in the night, working together with his sister at her cabin. However, he always refused when Yoora offered to order take out for him, knowing that there was home cooked food waiting for him back home.

  
Baekhyun turned the lights on eliciting their collective groan. He was balancing plates, bowls, and cutlery in one hand.  
"Move aside." he lightly tapped Sehun's outstretched legs with his foot and set the plates on the mat on the floor.  
"It's Soy Sauce Crab tonight, boys." Kyungsoo came in with the pot while Baekhyun brushed past him to get the rice. Jongin finally got up from where he was lazing to follow Baekhyun into the kitchen. "I will get the water. Anyone needs a beer?"  
Chanyeol shook his head.

  
He was meeting his sister's fiance the next day. He wanted to be alert.  
"It is so good," Sehun said with his mouth full, sampling the crab.  
He and Tao made a lot of noise eating, chattering how their day went. Baekhyun did not speak a word, his face vulpine and his manner tensed. Chanyeol had learned just by observation that Baekhyun automatically turned hostile around him. Perhaps he deserved this.

"I am meeting my sister's fiance tomorrow." Chanyeol announced to no one in particular.

  
Sehun made a face. He hated Yoora's fiance. He hated all of Yoora's boyfriends, of whom were many. Sehun fancied 'Yoora noona' but Park Yoora always treated Sehun like the kid he was.

  
Tao laughed at Sehun. Sehun glared back. It was a touchy subject.  
"Why is she getting married? Can't she wait for me to grow up?"

  
Baekhyun was carefully sipping a spoonful of soup. He suddenly choked on his soup, struggling to hide a guffaw.  
His eyes met Chanyeol's.  
"I am sorry." he bowed, dabbing at his mouth.

  
Kyungsoo patted Baekhyun's back, "Sehun has a puppy crush on Chanyeol's sister."  
"Yoora noona is very pretty." Kai added, "She looks exactly like our Chanyeol, only much nicer."  
Baekhyun bit his lower lip to hide his smirk. Chanyeol glowered.

  
"Where is this guy going to treat you?"  
"He is a hot shot at a music company, hardly has the time for lunch on most days. Yoora and I will just have a quick bite with him at the cafe located in his office neighbourhood."  
Baekhyun glanced up from his plate with a small frown and looked at Chanyeol directly.  
Chanyeol raised his eyebrows, "What?"  
"Nothing."

  
Shim Changmin was a tall fellow, as tall as Chanyeol, and he seemed a decent sort, unlike the other ruffians Yoora had dated. The music mogul had proposed to Yoora on their latest trip to Greece, just six months into dating. Their parents had yet to meet this Shim Changmin, but it was clear to Chanyeol that Yoora had fallen for the man hook, line and sinker.

  
Changmin was not hung up on his wealth either. He apologised profusely for not taking them to an upscale restaurant, saying the corner cafe where he usually had salad for lunch, was the only option available as he was hard pressed for time.

  
"I just wanted to take the brother's approval before meeting the parents." Changmin winked at Chanyeol.

  
The corner cafe was actually a large bakery which also served breakfast and lunch in the way of salads and sandwiches. The minute Chanyeol saw the pastries prettily displayed, his thoughts went to Baekhyun.

  
"What is it?" Yoora asked her brother as he stopped all of a sudden to gaze at the display. She knew better than anyone else how her brother despised sweet things.

  
"This place reminds me of someone" he said truthfully.

  
Yoora gave him a weird look before following Changmin to a table.  
A pretty lady came to take their order.

  
Chanyeol found that the smell of rich vanilla and caramel also reminded him of Baekhyun. Imagine Chanyeol's minor shock when a boy with pink hair, just like Baekhyun, came to stand behind the counter, bowed to a few customers, before pottering back to the kitchen. Chanyeol craned his neck for a better view.

  
"I think I just saw my roommate." he declared, eyes wide.  
"He works here?"  
"I don't know exactly where, but he works at a bakery. He bakes cakes." Chanyeol's heart somehow beat faster at the prospect of meeting Baekhyun outside their house. He failed to understand why. Perhaps it was the thought of seeing a familiar face at an unfamiliar place.

  
"I know the boy here." Changmin said proudly, "He's a funny sort. Baekhyun is his name."  
"That's him. That's my roommate." Chanyeol's voice was too loud.  
"Why don't you call him. We can say hi." Yoora beamed. She was fond of all of Chanyeol's friends. Her brother hesitated.  
"I - well. Nah." Chanyeol did not meet Yoora's eyes, instead veering the topic to the weather.

  
"It is about to rain, noona. Do you want me to drop you home after this?"  
"Nah. I am good. I think I'll just hang around at Changmin's office for a while."

  
The waitress came to ask if they needed anything else.

  
"Just call Baekhyun for us, please. I ordered a red velvet cake for Yoora to take home. Let me personally thank him. Baekhyun bakes the best cakes."

  
Chanyeol sat as still and as erect as he could, waiting for Baekhyun to come. His roommate was all polite smiles and bows as he greeted Changmin and Yoora and ignored him altogether. Chanyeol waited for some kind of acknowledgment but none came.

  
"My brother tells me you are his roommate."

  
Baekhyun immediately turned to Chanyeol, a look of disbelief on his face. Chanyeol blinked.

  
"He did? That is very kind of him." Baekhyun gave his best smile to his sister.

  
Chanyeol frowned. "Why? You thought I would not tell them you are my roommate?"  
Baekhyun looked directly in Chanyeol's eyes, "Yes. Honestly, I was surprised. I thought you would ignore me in public."  
"It's you who keep ignoring me constantly." Chanyeol retorted.

  
Changmin and Yoora seemed to notice the tension between them.  
Yoora giggled.  
"My brother is not a very easy kid to live with. Is he giving you a hard time? "  
Chanyeol pouted.  
Baekhyun seemed to ponder over the question. "Not really, no." he said finally, before bowing to all three of them and retreating.  
"That cute little Corgi pup is your room mate?" Yoora hit Chanyeol's forearm. "Why haven't you introduced us yet?"  
"He's just there for five more months." Chanyeol grumbled. 

Chanyeol and Baekhyun, both mature, had silly arguments in the mornings sometimes. Today, it was about who should shower first.

  
"I always shower at this time. I have to rush for college." Baekhyun banged on the door. "Hurry up." Baekhyun's college was farther away.

  
A muffled shout came from inside. Baekhyun could not make out what the other was saying. He would have showered at Sehun's, but their door was locked and the kids were fast asleep.

  
"Who goes to college so early, anyway?" Chanyeol came out of the bathroom wearing nothing but a towel. He saw Baekhyun avert his eyes from his bare torso. "Ever heard of bunking? Kyungsoo is in your class too, isn't he? I never see him leave this early."

  
"He and I have different Major subjects." Baekhyun said defensively.

  
Chanyeol spotted Baekhyun's shampoo in the boy's hand as his roommate brushed past him to enter the bathroom.  
"Where do you keep it hidden? I have half a mind to confiscate it right away."  
Baekhyun whipped around, "Why do you keep saying that? It makes me self-conscious."  
"Because I hate the smell. It's repulsive."

  
He had said it so many times already, Chanyeol was not prepared for the flash of hurt in the other boy's eyes. His roommate looked slightly defeated.

  
"Here." the boy handed him the shampoo. "Go throw it away. I will just use your shampoo then."  
"Hey man, I was just kidding." Chanyeol took two steps back.

  
Baekhyun threw the shampoo bottle to the floor anyway before storming inside the bathroom.

 

 

Jongdae came for lunch at their place one weekend. Baekhyun prepared Dak Galbi, and the two of them huddled around the table, taking slurps of the delicious meat. The other boys were not home. Sehun and Tao were out shopping at Myeongdong, and no doubt the boys will return laden with skincare products. A constellation of freckles had appeared on Sehun’s porcelain skin and the kid had worried himself hoarse.

  
Kai and Kyungsoo had gone on a date to the amusement park. Kyungsoo had been harping about going to visit the zoo all throughout the week.

  
Baekhyun had given Jongdae a tour of the house before lunch.  
"Whoa! It is so huge." Jongdae was impressed, especially by the jacuzzi and terrace swimming pool. "But tell me, Kai's parents live in Seoul, don't they? And I am guessing the others' parents also live in this city. Why don't they live with their parents?"

  
Baekhyun led Jongdae to Chanyeol's - their - room. "From what I have gathered, Sehun and Chanyeol are family friends. And Chanyeol and Kai are best friends. Basically, they grew up in the same circle. Kai's parents are out of town mostly. So are Sehun's. I think they decided to stay together under one roof rather than living in empty houses. Isn't it sad?" he threw open the door to his room.

  
Jongdae's eyes went wide. "This is super cool. I didn't know people actually lived so lavishly."  
"Don't touch any of his stuff. My roomie is anal."  
"But why does he get the largest room? Would you look at the sheer size?"  
"Apparently, this house was a gift for Chanyeol from his grandfather on his eighteenth birthday."

  
Jongdae whistled, flopping himself on Chanyeol's bed, "You should marry this guy, Baek."  
Baekhyun made a face, "When pigs fly." he said, dragging his friend away from the bed.  
“Speaking of, where’s your room mate?”  
“I think he fled at the prospect of being home alone with me.”  
“Trouble?”  
“He hates my guts is all.”

  
Not true. Chanyeol did try to involve him in conversations after his initial bout of childish resistance was finally over. But by then, Baekhyun had hardened his stance towards the guy. He turned down back to back plans for movies and drinks and what not, just because he did not want to be in Park Chanyeol’s company more than was absolutely necessary.

  
His roommate, with ridiculous height and abnormally good looks, had been shocked the other day when Baekhyun threw his shampoo in the dustbin, finally relenting to Chanyeol’s longstanding demand. The other boy was downright shocked, and a little guilty. Baekhyun could tell Chanyeol felt guilty by the way he offered to drop him to college that morning. He turned him down of course. He was equally blessed with spite.

  
Baekhyun realised that day that despite his tough looks, Chanyeol was easy to bully. People like him, who grew up in orphanages, could easily make out who was pretending to be a tough guy and who was actually a softie at heart.

  
He tried pushing his luck. Baekhyun left a pile of dirty clothes on the floor next to his bed. Chanyeol said nothing. Next, Baekhyun left the toilet seat up. Chanyeol would have uttered choice expletives on any other day, but this went ignored as well. Ever since then, Baekhyun had been more assertive around the house.

  
Park Chanyeol was all bark and no bite.

 

 

  
Baekhyun's roommate had a rare collection of Darth Vader figurines proudly displayed on his bedside table. He had tried to touch them one day before being scared off by Chanyeol's panicked bellow. Suffice to say, his roommate was a little crazy in the head. Chanyeol had added a new rule to his long list of rules after that - No Touching My Darth Vader figurines.

  
Baekhyun hadn't, until today. He had a rare day off and he and Kyungsoo set about cleaning the entire house. The entitled lords of the household did not even know how to operate a vacuum cleaner. So, it fell upon both Kyungsoo and him to take matters into their own hands. Their cleaner had been absconding for the past week and the house, otherwise spotless, was beginning to look a little unkempt.

  
While cleaning the area around Chanyeol's bed, Baekhyun's hip hit the bedside table. Six or so figurines toppled off the table, and Baekhyun thought he had picked every single one of them from the ground until his foot landed on one and crushed it to small bits.

  
It was a simple enough thing to explain to his roommate, except, his roommate was simply not willing to understand.

  
"Who asked you to clean my room in the first place?" Chanyeol thundered. "How could you be so careless around my stuff? Are you a child? On top of it, you chose to break my limited edition Pewter Collectible!"

  
"Excuse you. I did not choose to break anything. I said I am sorry."  
"What use is your sorry now? Will it bring my baby Vader back to life? I thought bakers had nimble fingers but you are turning out to be quite the opposite."

Chanyeol was clutching the broken bits close to his chest. Baekhyun would have laughed if he did not feel insulted enough.

  
"I am going out for some air. I will not stand here and listen to your insults."  
"You will stand there, and you will listen. At least act like you are sorry. Did your parents not teach you basic manners?"

  
Pindrop silence.

  
"How dare you?" Baekhyun finally said, voice like the calm before a storm.

  
"How dare I what? Of course I dare. This house belongs to me, the house you are staying in. It is my father's, built by my grandfather. I am the man of the house, I can say anything. Why don't you go and stay at the house your father built for a change?"

  
Baekhyun's lips quivered. He did not say a single word before turning on his heels and slamming the front door as he left the house.

  
Tao came running at the commotion, a face mask applied on. "What happened? Why did hyung leave in such a hurry? Wasn't he going to prepare _japchae_ for us tonight?" The boy had canceled dinner plans with his parents looking forward to the _japchae_ after all.

  
Chanyeol squared his shoulders, "There won't be any _japchae_ for you tonight."  
"Why not?" Tao was astonished.  
"We got into a fight." Chanyeol admitted sheepishly. Tao left the room immediately and returned with Sehun two minutes later.

  
"You fought with Baekhyun hyung?"  
Chanyeol outstretched his palm and showed him the broken bits of his Darth Vader.  
"Ah!" Sehun's face showed comprehension. They left, this time to get Kyungsoo and Kai. The four of them crowded Chanyeol.

  
"In this house, we try not to fight." Kai reminded him.  
Chanyeol shrugged defensively, "Well, what was I supposed to do? Instead of acting like he was sorry, he was talking back. So I may have said some hurtful stuff."

  
"What did you say exactly?"  
"I may have asked him to go and stay at his parent's place for a change."

  
Kyungsoo took a sharp breath. Tao and Sehun exchanged glances. Kai put his hand on Chanyeol's shoulder. "Don't you know, Baekhyun grew up in an orphanage?"

 

Chanyeol told himself he was not remorseful. He stubbornly refused to acknowledge the nagging feeling in his gut. The guilt hit him much later when the other boys returned to their rooms to settle for the night and Baekhyun did not return from wherever he had marched off to.

Chanyeol had not known Baekhyun was an orphan; no one had seen fit to tell him. He was mad at his house mates, had he known earlier, he would have chosen his words carefully. When his anger abated, Chanyeol wondered if he was too hard on his roommate.

  
According to the digital clock by his bedside, it was one am at night.

  
Kyungsoo poked his head inside the room.  
"I saw the lights on. You still up?"  
"I can't go to sleep."

  
Kyungsoo came and sat beside him, peering at his face.  
"Are you worried about Baekhyun?" Kai's boyfriend asked unsurely.  
Chanyeol huffed.  
A moment later, Kyungsoo spoke softly, "You need not worry about him. He is safe. I received his message - he is at the chicken place we frequent at Hongdae, getting drunk with Jongdae. Wow. That rhymes. Anyway, he said he will sleep over at Jongdae's tonight."

  
Chanyeol waited for Kyungsoo to leave before reaching for his jacket and car keys. The drive to Hongdae was quiet and swift.

 

 

Baekhyun could hold his drink but the more he drank, the broodier he became. He did not want to brood today. Tonight, he wanted to forget everything. God was his witness; he was trying his hardest to make the best of his situation, toiling hard every day. He was grateful for what little he had, knowing that some others fared much worse. He had talent, his future looked promising. If only he could endure a little more. Just a little more.

  
Jongdae had dozed off on the table. He did not want to shake him awake just yet. He wanted to drink up a little more. Someone tapped him lightly, pulling him out of his reverie. He slowly turned in his seat.

  
"I have come to take you home," Chanyeol announced.  
Baekhyun recalled being angry at his roommate but could not remember the reason why. So he decided on pouting.  
"Go away." he managed to say.

But Chanyeol was already hoisting a passed out Jongdae, "Come on, it is time to go. This one can sleep on the couch tonight."

  
Baekhyun shuffled to his feet, "Not going." he mumbled. His roommate watched silently as he took a step, testing his balance.  
"It is good that you can walk. Do not worry about your bill, I have already made the payment."

  
Baekhyun watched as his tall and strong roommate lent his support to a barely conscious Jongdae. He decided to follow. He was drunk and he could not put two and two together why he had been so sad earlier and why he felt so happy all of a sudden now.

  
The hangover was the worst he had had in months. He and Jongdae had to bunk class, and they spent the first part of the day avoiding sun light and loud noise. Kyungsoo had left breakfast for them on the table which they wolfed down and threw right back up. Baekhyun called in sick at his workplace.

  
Jongdae had no recollection of the previous evening. But Baekhyun remembered in bits and parts. His anger at Chanyeol was gone though, his roommate was an over grown baby and there was nothing that could be done about it.

The fact that Chanyeol had rounded them up from the bar in the middle of the night and delivered them home safely was enough of an apology for now. Someone other than Kyungsoo and Jongdae showing concern for him, that was new. Chanyeol had wrapped Baekhyun in his jacket to keep him warm and tucked him in bed last night. It was a new development. It could be a turning point for them.

 

 

Park Chanyeol was unwell.  
The bow legged fool had stayed up on the terrace as the steady drizzle turned into a huge downpour. Chanyeol maintained that he loved getting wet in the rain, even as his sneezing became worse and worse, and the slight discomfort turned into a raging fever.

  
He lay on his large bed, shivering under a heavy quilt. Kai had gone to get medicines and Kyungsoo busied himself with dinner preparations. The children of the household lay tangled in a mess of long limbs on one side of Chanyeol's bed, whispering among themselves, their noses glued to their phone screens. The pitter patter of rain could be heard outside.

  
Baekhyun carefully balanced a steaming bowl of chicken broth in his delicate hands.  
Chanyeol eyed him weakly.

  
"I added a good dose of pepper. It shall help with the cold. Come on now, sit up."  
The pink haired boy watched his roommate prop himself up against a pillow.  
"Is it too hot?" Chanyeol croaked. His voice came out all strangled. It did odd things to Baekhyun's belly.

  
"Do not worry. I shall blow on it before feeding you."  
Park Chanyeol was too weak to show the surprise he felt upon knowing that Baekhyun meant to feed him. He meekly opened his mouth to sip in the spoonful of the broth.

Sehun and Tao turned around to watch Baekhyun feeding Chanyeol in silence. They exchanged sly smiles and nudged each other.  
"Does your head still hurt?" Baekhyun paid no heed to the youngsters.  
"A little."  
It hurt a lot.

  
Baekhyun stayed up until the middle of the night, massaging his roommate’s forehead until he was convinced that the latter had fallen into deep sleep. He stayed up the next night as well.

Chanyeol felt significantly better on the third night, although sleep was not so easy to come by. His roommate was sleeping on his small bed, moaning in his sleep. The small noises Baekhyun made at night had irked him way back in the beginning, but they felt reassuring tonight. Chanyeol counted the days and weeks gone by. Four months. Four months until Baekhyun left.

  
Gradually, they started spending most of their evenings at home. The reason was simple enough. Baekhyun was a homebody who preferred staying indoors, no doubt worn out by the end of the day. Sehun and Tao had taken to following Baekhyun around, it was him they would call for their video game marathons, or when they wanted a second opinion about anything. Baekhyun was their first preference for everything.

  
The spoilt children of the household also began to lend a helping hand in the kitchen. It was a common sight now to see Sehun chopping vegetables and Tao doing the dishes. As summer slowly turned to autumn, the feeling of domesticity in the household increased.

  
After dinner, if Baekhyun retired to his corner in Chanyeol's room, Sehun and Tao would dig inside the covers of Chanyeol's bed, bickering over homework and girls.  
Chanyeol could see how people gravitated towards Baekhyun, realised that he had started to too. But knowing that, and saying it out aloud were two different things.

 

Chanyeol's father bought him a Mercedes Benz G65 as a surprise gift. In celebration, he decided to throw a chicken and beer party for his roommates at their favorite pub in Yongsan Gu. The plan was to take Yoora out for a spin in his new car before dropping her home and joining the others. Except, when he reached the rooftop pub, they were one boy short.

  
"Where's Baekhyun?" His pixie like roommate was not present.  
"He said he had some work at home." Kyungsoo supplied.  
"What kind of work?"  
Kyungsoo shrugged.  
Chanyeol turned to Kai. "Did you tell him I invited all of you tonight, him included?"  
"I did."  
"He probably thought you invited him just for the sake of courtesy.” Sehun was not one to mince words.

  
Chanyeol deposited his jacket on one chair, "Listen, you guys carry on. I will head home and get Baekhyun." Chanyeol did not know how he would persuade his roommate once he got home, but for a change, just for this once, he wanted Baekhyun to be a part of their drinking shenanigans.

  
Four pairs of astonished eyes looked at him.  
"Home's a bit far though," Kai observed Chanyeol keenly.  
"I have all the time in the world."

  
Tao lifted his glass in cheers at Chanyeol's departing back, "To Chanyeol hyung and Baekhyun hyung, who seem to be finally getting along."

  
When Chanyeol punched in the security code and walked into the living room, he found Baekhyun sitting on the floor, leaning against the couch with three cans of unopened beer for company. The lights were dimmed and the television was on.

  
"Why are you here?" Baekhyun immediately straightened. His shorts were too short and the milky calves were on full display.  
"I came to get you."

  
Baekhyun blinked. "You did not have to do that."  
Chanyeol extended his hand to Baekhyun so the boy could get up. "We have never partied together. I can't say Miles to Go is the best out there, but I can at the very least promise you company while you drink beer."

  
Baekhyun eyed Chanyeol's outstretched hand warily. "I did not take a bath after coming home from work today. I probably smell of -”  
Chanyeol flicked Baekhyun's forehead, "I don't mind it anymore."  
"Pardon?"

  
Chanyeol made an impatient noise, “I thought we were past my childish behaviour. That was ages ago. Why do you keep reminding me I was an ass to you? I have apologised to you countless times but you are still holding grudges."  
"I am not holding grudges." Baekhyun pouted.  
"You are too. Why else would you not come with the rest of the boys?"  
"I - uh- had work to do."  
"Work? You mean watching TV and drinking beer all alone?"

  
Baekhyun stood up silently, muttering something under his breath.  
The oversized shirt, probably borrowed from Sehun, and the too short shorts made Baekhyun look like a petulant child. Chanyeol smiled inwardly.  
"Hurry up. Don't you want to go on a ride in my new car?"

 

Chanyeol was not a reckless driver, but he wanted to show off his car driving skills in front of his roommate.

  
"Can you slow down please?" Baekhyun huffed, putting his seat belt on.  
"Relax. I learned to drive before I could even walk."  
"Tchh."  
"What? It's true. Do you know how to drive?"  
"I can do many things," Baekhyun said by way of an answer.  
Chanyeol smiled. "Well can you drive?"  
"Does it look like I can drive?" Baekhyun huffed.  
"Can you ride a bicycle at least?"

  
Baekhyun hit his roommate then. They laughed. "Worry not. If you want, I can teach you to drive on weekends."

  
The offer came as a surprise to Baekhyun. It was an intimate offer and Baekhyun did not respond to it. They had never done anything together, just the two of them, despite being roommates for almost four months now.

  
Chanyeol hummed to himself as he drove. Baekhyun leaned back in his seat, watching the cars zoom by. The city looked different at night. He eyed Chanyeol shyly, feeling strangely giddy that the handsome male had come to get him. He could not help but feel a little self-important. Sitting and drinking all alone was not turning out to be any fun when the tall male had stumbled in, demanding that he get dressed immediately.

  
Baekhyun had put on a simple pair of jeans and a white shirt and the look on Chanyeol's face said that he approved.

  
Their friends raised their glasses in cheers when they stepped in the terrace. Kyungsoo patted the seat next to him and Baekhyun immediately went to sit by his friend's side. The cold chill of the beer was welcome on Baekhyun's tongue. It was crowded, and there was dancing going on.

  
"Drink up. Drink up." Chanyeol bellowed to all, gulping down his own. "Tonight we party."

  
Quite understandably, Chanyeol was in very high spirits. He looked quite arresting too. Black suited his roommate, Baekhyun thought, throwing covert looks in the former's direction. After a while, Sehun and Tao, who had already downed a few drinks by then, left the table to one up each other on the dance floor.

  
"Go on." Kyungsoo egged his boyfriend, knowing how Kai loved dancing. But his boyfriend only snuggled closer to him, "I want to be right here with you."

  
Kai had a particular way of looking at Kyungsoo, intense and unrelenting, that made Baekhyun appreciate how lucky his friend was. Kyungsoo kept saying he was lucky but Kai would insist that he was luckier. The politician's son would look at Kyungsoo with such intensity that Baekhyun wondered how his friend just did not melt into a pile of goo. There was attraction, and so much more. Devotion. Baekhyun looked at Chanyeol, who was loudly cheering Sehun and Tao on. He smiled, happy that his roommate was happy.

  
And popular. Oh, just how popular Chanyeol was, Baekhyun got to know that night. Park Chanyeol seemed to know most of the people in the bar. Either this was his regular hang out place, or his roommate was crazy good at socialising. Chanyeol went from table to table, shaking hands with one, thumping fists with the other.  
This was the public persona of Chanyeol. Mature, a little dangerous, and oddly very attractive. Would anyone say this same Chanyeol fought with roommates over toys and shampoos?

  
He was nicest to the girls, and Baekhyun could see them melting. This Park Chanyeol was a charmer. Baekhyun was ill at ease among large crowds, but he could see that Chanyeol was quite the magnet.

  
Baekhyun knew he could never acquire that sort of charisma in a million years. He, of orphanages and welfare homes, knew how to be polite and sweet. That swagger, that easy grace, that cheetah like prowl, knowing that the world was at your feet - Baekhyun could never imbibe that.

  
They belonged to two very different worlds, and although, through some odd twist of fate they were roomies now, Baekhyun decided to never forget that Park Chanyeol was well out of his league. Dwarves should not reach out for the moon.

  
"Never seen him like this, have you?" Kyungsoo asked softly, and then repeated his words because the music was too loud.  
The pink haired boy realised he had been gaping at Chanyeol.  
"He is very different tonight."  
"He is always like this, the life of the party."  
"Is that his girlfriend?" Baekhyun pointed to a girl who had launched herself at his roommate.  
Kyungsoo shrugged, "I don't think he has dated anyone after Yerim."  
"Why did they break up?"  
"They never broke up formally. She just left. She wanted to pursue film making in the States. Chanyeol was heartbroken for a while. That's when he started randomly sleeping around with girls, I think."  
Baekhyun hummed, lost in thought.

  
Chanyeol brought the girl to the table to introduce them to the others.  
"Everyone, this is Vera. We are classmates."  
The way Vera was draped around Chanyeol, she seemed more than a mere college mate.

  
Vera was, to put it simply, stunning, much like the other girls he brought home. Kai, who also knew Vera from college, immediately began chatting with her. Baekhyun suddenly found his drink, which had gone ignored for quite some time, very interesting. To his surprise, his roommate snatched the glass away. "Don't drink too much. Remember the hangover last time?"

  
Chanyeol's tone was teasing. Baekhyun knew his roommate was trying to drag him into the conversation Kai and Kyungsoo were having with Vera, but he merely grimaced, thereby puzzling the other boy.  
"I will go dance." he stood up abruptly.

Chanyeol watched as Baekhyun joined Tao and Sehun on the dance floor, the other two immediately dragging Baekhyun in.  
"Is he pissed about something?" Chanyeol asked Kyungsoo.  
"He gets a little odd around big crowds."  
They watched as Baekhyun disappeared among the dancing crowd.

Vera leaned her head on Chanyeol's shoulders, yawning. "I am so sleepy right now," she said in a sultry accent.  
The one throwing the party decided they should leave soon after.  
Vera snuggled closer to her classmate. Kyungsoo pressed his lips contemptuously.  
"But I thought you said we can party the whole night," Tao whined when Chanyeol summoned him right away.  
Chanyeol pointed at Baekhyun, who was dancing with a stranger, his eyes droopy but body moving still.  
"I have changed my mind. That one seems to be sleep dancing. It is way past his bed time. Let's head home." Chanyeol's tone left no room for argument. 

Baekhyun returned to find that Vera had still not left their table. He frowned at the thought that Chanyeol might take her home tonight. The lady was definitely throwing suggestive looks in his roommate's direction. But Chanyeol dashed her hopes soon enough.

  
"Vera, would you like us to drop you home?"

  
Vera's face fell. Baekhyun hid his smirk. The girl declined the offer and it was only Chanyeol and Baekhyun on the ride back. The others were tailing in Sehun's car.

  
"She wanted to come home with you," Baekhyun observed drily, putting his seatbelt on. His roommate did not say anything. When they stopped at a signal, the tall male turned to look at the slight boy, curled on the seat of his new car.

  
"I did not want you to sleep on the couch tonight. Your eyes are all droopy. You need a good night's sleep."

  
The fact that Chanyeol chose Baekhyun's comfort over getting laid with a gorgeous girl somehow made tiny butterflies flutter inside Baekhyun's belly, or was it the alcohol.  
Chanyeol put on a song.  
"It's nice." Baekhyun sat up straighter, "What song is this?"  
Chanyeol threw him a quick glance, "Ben Howard. Only Love."  
"It's nice." Baekhyun said again, his eyes taking in the handsome form of his roommate. Just how perfect for him that Chanyeol's attention was focused on maneuvering the car on the busy street.

  
"Did you love Yerim very much?" he asked out of the blue.  
"You've been talking to the boys behind my back."  
"No. I am asking you."  
"She was my first love." Chanyeol said fondly, " You know how first loves are."

  
Baekhyun's expression darkened, "I don't."  
"Baekhyun! Are you kidding me? Do you mean to tell me you haven’t -?"  
"I was busy surviving and taking care of myself." came the candid retort. "Not all of us have the luxury to fall in love."

  
Chanyeol reached out to pat Baekhyun's head, and his hand stayed on Baekhyun's nape for the remainder of the journey.

  
Baekhyun was quiet as he got ready for bed. When he turned around to say good night to his roommate, he found a pair of watchful eyes on him. Chanyeol quickly turned away and proceeded to dim the lights.  
"Good night, Baekhyun."

 

Baekhyun had a skip in his step the next day. For reasons unknown, he felt refreshed. It was Kyungsoo's turn to cook but Baekhyun offered to prepare dinner anyway. The children were not home that night. They had gone to watch some fashion show, very much attuned to the latest styles, those two. The in-house couple was relaxing by the pool, sipping mojito. Dinner time was Baekhyun's favourite time of the day. It was the time when all six of them would gather around, exchange stories and laughs over freshly cooked food.  
Baekhyun was halfway dicing the vegetables when Chanyeol's text came.

  
_Bringing Vera home tonight ;)_

Kyungsoo was surprised when Baekhyun showed up at the terrace pool. His friend looked pale.

  
"I'm gonna go out for a bit."  
"Where?"  
Baekhyun frowned, "I don't know. Maybe Yixing's"

  
Yixing was their classmate famous for being high most of the time. He had a thing for Baekhyun. It wasn't love. Baekhyun had no real feelings for Yixing either, but they had hooked up in the past. The beautiful baker would seek Yixing out whenever he needed some physical comfort, some validation that he was desirable.

  
The Chinese student had dimples, just like Chanyeol, only deeper. Yixing made Baekhyun feel very special, unlike Chanyeol. He never forced himself on Baekhyun, but the latter submitted to his advances anyway. Sometimes, it felt good to be just held.

  
Yixing was an attentive lover, who had mapped Baekhyun's body countless times, with his tongue, his hands, his dick. But it was only Baekhyun's body the exchange student desired. He was too high most of the time to want to know what went on in the petite boy's mind as he plowed him from behind.

  
Baekhyun's mind ran off as Yixing took him doggy style. It was so easy to pretend that the one ramming into him was his roommate. He begged Yixing to go harder.

 

  
"Where's Baekhyun?" Chanyeol accosted Kyungsoo the next morning. His date was gone; he always sent them packing first thing in the morning.  
"He's with a friend." Kyungsoo was scowling for some reason.  
"Jongdae?"  
"Yixing. He's a Chinese exchange student. Same class."  
"Baekhyun's never mentioned him."  
"He hasn't? You should know him by name, they hang out quite a lot. Yixing's the one who has the hots for Baekhyun."

  
The cereal Chanyeol was trying to pour in his bowl scattered over the counter top.  
"And Baekhyun?" he asked sharply.  
"Nah. He just - you know - casually fucks Yixing for the heck of it."  
Chanyeol furrowed his brows.

 

The next time Chanyeol brought a girl home, Baekhyun escaped to some place again. The pattern was not lost on Chanyeol. It was not a welcome development, but he let it be for now. His father was a real estate tycoon, and he was learning the ropes of the family owned business. Where was the time to ponder over these small things really?

  
He was drinking with his father's client at his favorite bar, celebrating a huge deal they had managed to pull off. Suzy, the waitress, the one he had wanted to bang since forever, was biting her lip, looking in his direction, making her lust for him pretty obvious. Almost without thinking, Chanyeol fished out his cellphone from his pocket to send Baekhyun a text.

  
_Guess who's gonna get lucky tonight. ;)_

  
Suzy was a leggy lass with ample boobs, just his type. She willingly accompanied him to his car, and inside it.  
The rest of the ride was Chanyeol's hands in Suzy's exposed thighs. He could not wait to get home, and inside her panties. In his haze, Chanyeol did not notice that the couch in the living room was empty.

  
They were naked on the bed, fondling each other when a loud bang on the door interrupted them. Chanyeol groaned.  
"Who is it?" the boy checked his bedside watch. It was quite late.  
"Chanyeol, open up." It was Kai.  
"I am kinda busy."  
Suzy giggled, continuing with what she was doing before, rubbing Chanyeol's cock.  
"It's Baekhyun. He needs help."  
Chanyeol gripped Suzy's hands to make her stop. His lady companion frowned when she was nudged aside.  
"Cover yourself." Chanyeol muttered as he reached for his discarded boxers.

  
When he opened the door, Kai peered inside the room and his eyes widened.  
"Oh. I didn't realise you were - uh- you had a lady home. Fine. I shall just go and ask Tao's help. You carry on."  
Chanyeol stopped Kai in his tracks.  
"What is it? Where's Baekhyun?"

  
Kai averted his eyes from Chanyeol's chest, which was dotted with hickeys.  
"He was out with some friends, he says. On a long drive. Their car broke down on the highway. He called Kyungsoo, asked if we could go pick him up. But Kyungsoo isn't feeling well and the children have an exam tomorrow. I thought you could -"  
"Of course I can. Text me his location."

  
Suzy was visibly displeased with the development, especially over how Chanyeol made her dress in lightning fast speed, offering to drop her home on his way.  
"Sorry, sweetheart. I need to go collect my roommate."  
She banged the car door as hard as she could when Chanyeol dropped her in front of her home.

 

 

Baekhyun stood shivering in the cool night air, a slight shadow on the side of the highway. He looked tiny in his oversized black tee and skin tight jeans. Chanyeol got out of his car when the boy made no move to approach him.

  
His roommate was with four other boys, all of who looked like good for nothing dopers in Chanyeol's eyes. One of them had his arm around Baekhyun's waist. Chanyeol did not like it one bit.

  
"Hop in." he said, his voice a little chilly, "It's already late."  
Baekhyun grudgingly approached the car. "See you tomorrow, Baekhyunah." the other boy sing songed. Chanyeol's eyes narrowed at the familiarity in the boy's tone. Their ride home was in silence for a while.

  
"What were you even doing with a crowd like that?"  
"You are no one to judge my friends." Baekhyun said, but his voice had no bite, only resignation.

  
"Who was that boy?"  
"Who was which boy?"  
"That boy. The one with his hands around your hips?" Chanyeol did not like it one single bit that the boy in question had been very attractive. And there was something about the way he had looked at Baekhyun that riled Chanyeol up, as though Baekhyun was some treat to be gobbled.

  
Baekhyun turned away. "Yixing." he finally said in a far away voice, surprisingly unoffended by Chanyeol's aggression.  
"Your _fuck buddy_?" Chanyeol's voice held contempt.  
"My friend."  
"Is Yixing the same guy you have been meeting whenever I bring girls home?"

  
Baekhyun made himself comfortable on the seat.  
"Uh huh." he nodded, without thinking much.  
"I see."

  
Chanyeol did not say anything else for the remainder of the drive home. He did not broach the subject in the coming days either. But the pink haired boy noticed that his room mate stopped bringing girls home altogether after that incident.

 

The trip to Paris came all of a sudden. Yoora and Changmin, after getting permission from their respective families, were going to the city of love for their pre wedding photo shoot. They invited Chanyeol to tag along, and the ash gray haired boy was more than willing to go. Chanyeol, in his excitement, did not notice Baekhyun's somber mood as he disclosed this piece of news to his flat mates.

  
"Will you be back soon?" Baekhyun asked, helping Chanyeol pack.  
"Can't say. Yoora is very particular. If she is not happy with the shoot, we might get delayed. Anyway, what's the rush to get back home? Paris is a beautiful city. I would love to spend entire seasons there."  
"Of course. Of course." Baekhyun agreed, absent mindedly folding the clothes.

 

It was strangely empty without Chanyeol, his presence had been a warm reassurance these past few months. Chanyeol ate up a lot of space, probably that was why it felt so empty, Baekhyun reasoned with himself. The unoccupied bed at night depressed Baekhyun. But the third night without his room mate was insufferable. He stepped inside the walk in closet and stared at his room mate's clothes for a long time. Chanyeol had an impeccable dressing sense, Baekhyun liked all his tees and sweatshirts, watches and shoes. When Kai or Sehun randomly walked in the closet and left with Chanyeol's t shirts, the ones which he secretly coveted, Baekhyun would feel undeniably envious.

  
But he was only here for two more months. Maybe he could demand the violet Supreme hoodie as a farewell gift from Chanyeol. It seemed snug and comfy and was the hoodie equivalent of his room mate.

  
Frustrated with life all of a sudden, Baekhyun went for a hair cut. Baekhyun's hair was more blonde now, with pink highlights here and there.

  
The day of Chanyeol's return, he prepared deep fried pork cutlets. He had recently learned that pork cutlets were his room mate's favorite food.  
Kai and Kyungsoo were tasked with shredding the cabbage. The couple could not refuse the task as they could sense Baekhyun's enthusiasm. But when Chanyeol finally arrived from the airport, wide grin in place and arms laden with packages, Baekhyun shyly stayed back in the kitchen area, hovering over the steaming cutlets rather than greeting his roomie.

  
Tao made quite a fuss, demanding his gift. Chanyeol pulled out four perfume bottles from his travel bag, one each for Kai, Kyungsoo, Sehun, and Tao. In their excitement over the gifts, no one noticed that Chanyeol did not give Baekhyun anything.

  
Baekhyun quietly laid the dishes on the table, with Kyungsoo coming to help him. Chanyeol's gifts to all were really thoughtful. Perhaps he was not important enough. He tried not to feel disappointed that his room mate did not bring anything for him. Why should Chanyeol, in the first place? For now, Baekhyun was content with the fact that Chanyeol was home.

  
His room mate quietly stepped beside him, tugging at Baekhyun's elbows. The petite boy gave him a dazzling smile; it was not even forced, he was that happy to see Chanyeol.

  
"I like what you did with your hair." Chanyeol remarked. He was smiling as well.  
"I made you pork cutlets."  
"I could tell the minute I entered the house."  
Chanyeol lightly touched Baekhyun's hair, then his cheeks, allowing his fingers to brush against his room mate's neck.  
"Welcome home."

 

When Baekhyun stepped inside the bedroom, he saw a black paper bag neatly placed on his bed with Balenciaga written on it.  
"Just try them and see if they fit." Chanyeol had entered the room silently behind him. "I bought you shoes. I think I got the size right."

  
The shoes fit Baekhyun as if they were made for him.  
"You shouldn't have."  
"Nonsense," Chanyeol said, but he was grinning widely.  
"I would have been happy with one of your old t shirts."  
"Do you want one? Which one?"  
Baekhyun grinned sheepishly. "Mmmmm, the gray one. No, wait. The white one. Ah - I can't decide."  
"Tell you what? You can wear whatever you like."  
"Any one?"  
"Any one. All of them. They're all yours since you obviously can't decide which one you like best."  
"To be honest, I like all of them."  
"Then it is decided, they are all yours."  
"I missed you, kinda."  
"I kinda missed you too. It was only fun the first couple of days. But don't you want to show your new shoes to the others?"

  
Chanyeol held Baekhyun's wrist and led him to Tao and Sehun's room. The two staged a protest at the abject partiality.

  
"How come he gets Balenciaga shoes?" Tao complained, but gave a thumbs up to Baekhyun anyway.  
"I don't want this anymore," Sehun waved his gift, "I thought I was your favorite flatmate."

  
Chanyeol shrugged off the apparent displeasure, his attention wholly focused on Baekhyun, who was prancing around the room in his too short shorts and new shoes. His roommate had the habit of crinkling his eyes and nose and grinning the stupidest grin whenever he was in happy spirits. And he was doing just that now, teasing the poor kids. Chanyeol was sold.

 

Whenever Chanyeol needed to unwind, he sought his room mate out. The slight boy could alleviate his stress like no other, with just one concerned look or a smile directed his way from across the room. There were four other boys in their house, but sometimes, Chanyeol could only see Baekhyun. His roommate had a funny streak. Chanyeol would bray like a dying donkey, unable to contain himself at Baekhyun's jokes. His room mate was like the house pet, all puppy looks and corgi bums.

  
As Baekhyun became comfortable in Chanyeol's presence, he began showing his true colours. He was noisy and could keep on talking till kingdom come, picking one random topic after the other. No one minded it, though. Baekhyun would also sing when he was extra happy. It did not skip Chanyeol's notice that Baekhyun openly flouted all the rules Chanyeol had laid down for him. His room mate's stuff was everywhere, strewn across the room. Baekhyun would not think twice before flopping on his roommate's bed, dirty feet be damned. He had also taken to wearing Chanyeol's clothes, pottering about the house in tees that came down to his mid thighs. Chanyeol sometimes fished out a soft toy or two from under his bedcovers, no doubt remnants from Baekhyun's afternoon naps on his bed. For some reason, the boy loved to take naps on Chanyeol's bed. Chanyeol did not mind it one bit, especially as his cute visitor left behind his lingering sweet smell on the pillows.

  
Chanyeol loved being home these days; in fact, he rushed home as soon as he was free.

  
Home was a place he could come back to after a long day and be mesmerised by the prevailing domesticity. He never played the silly board games that Tao whipped out from his collection every evening. But Baekhyun was quick to humour the Chinese panda.

Baekhyun, devoid of a family, or a family's love, growing up in orphanage and hostels and match box sized rooms, appreciated being around Sehun and Tao, who thought of Baekhyun as theirs. Chanyeol was no cad. He would not take that away from Baekhyun. He could not and would not ask Baekhyun to leave after his six months were up. In fact, he was willing to give, to provide, manifold. Suddenly, Chanyeol could not even imagine the place without his roommate. He had become extremely fond of the boy.

Chanyeol liked to believe it was not love of a romantic sort. It was the love you undeniably felt towards a newborn babe, all crying and wet cheeks and rounded bottom and balled fists, cuddlesome and troublesome.

  
His notions were dashed soon; his love was certainly of the romantic sort. Chanyeol came home one day to find Baekhyun getting ready for the club, in tight leather pants and see through white shirt.

  
"Going somewhere?"  
Chanyeol had rushed home from his father's office, turning down Yoora and Changmin's offer to treat him to dinner.  
Baekhyun grinned, "Apparently Tao and Sehun have discovered a really cool club."  
Chanyeol was at once uncomfortable with the idea of Baekhyun going to the club with the irresponsible kids.

  
He shifted his focus to Sehun, "Do you have to take him along?"  
"Jeez hyung, why are you so worried? He'll be with us. Besides, he is no china doll like you obviously think he is. He will not break." Sehun's voice was malicious.

  
"You drive very recklessly when you are drunk."  
"It's okay. I want to go." Baekhyun gave him a dazzling smile, obviously expecting some compliment or the other. So Chanyeol relented.  
"You look very attractive tonight." Chanyeol had not intended to, but his words sounded cheesy enough.

  
Tao snorted.  
"Why don't you come with us?" Baekhyun asked with hopeful eyes. He was indeed looking like a faery. Chanyeol could not bring himself to look away. Had his room mate always looked so alluring?  
"I am a little tired," Chanyeol admitted.

  
Baekhyun's face fell, but he perked up immediately, "That's a pity." he simply said.  
Chanyeol's eyes trailed over Baekhyun's milky neck and chest peeking through his unbuttoned shirt, and further below to the curve of his hips.

  
He let them go reluctantly, with many reminders for them to stay safe, drive slow and not drink or dance with strangers, the last bit directed at Baekhyun.

  
When the party goers left, Chanyeol took a couple of laps in the pool. Kai joined him a while later.  
"Hey man." Kai sat on the edge of the pool and offered Chanyeol a can of beer.  
The latter gratefully accepted it.

  
They drank in silence. "Where's Kyungsoo?"  
"I dropped him at his parents' today."  
"Aww. Missing him?" Chanyeol teased his best friend.  
Kai sighed, "More than you can ever imagine." He threw Chanyeol a very pointed look then, "What about you? You seem like you are missing someone too."  
Chanyeol immediately went on the defensive, "Me? Not at all. It's just - you know - the house gets eerily quiet when the kids are not around."

  
Kai's smile was bitter, "It gets kinda like back home, don't you think?"  
Chanyeol nodded.

Kai came from a broken family, his parents divorced when he was very young, the downside of having very rich and successful parents. They rarely talked about it anymore, but Chanyeol knew that Kai's childhood had been one of loneliness and solitude. The spawn of the rich and powerful hardly ever receive parental love, at least not in the measure required. A quick succession of nannies and governesses is what Chanyeol remembered from his own childhood, with parents who refused to be emotionally invested. Parents often tried to make up for their shortcomings with expensive gifts and limitless credit cards. His were no different.

  
If Chanyeol would not have found his own support system in his flatmates, his youth would have been terrible. Baekhyun may have grown up in an orphanage, but if truth be told, none of them had fared any better.

  
"Have you heard from your mother lately?" Chanyeol softly asked.  
"The last I heard, she was honeymooning with her fifth husband somewhere in Africa."  
"She called you up?" It was highly unlikely. Kai's mother did not have maternal instincts. It was sad, but that was the way things were.  
"I called her." Kai took a gulp of his beer, "I wanted to tell her that I found someone who taught me to be happy. Who taught me to be a better person. I wanted her to know that she had failed on those fronts. I wanted to tell that I have forgiven her."

  
Chanyeol nodded in understanding. Of late, he had been wanting to become a better version of himself as well. Just how many times had he gently tucked Baekhyun to bed, how many times had he dropped the boy to college? In the past few weeks alone, Chanyeol ended up doing things for Baekhyun that he would never have done, not even for Yerim. And Yerim was his first love. Yerim was his only love.

So what was it that he felt for his roommate? What made him hurry back home from his father's office? What was this feeling that had taken root in his heart, and was now softly spreading its wings? Why was he always on edge if Baekhyun was out of his sight? Why was he on edge now, mulling whether Baekhyun was dancing with other people in the club? And why did it even matter if Baekhyun danced with others?

 

  
The baker ended up drinking a lot and dancing with strangers, but none of them were tall like his roommate, or had a voice as deep. None of his dance partners looked like they cared if he would reach home safe. None of them looked at him in quite the same way, with an involuntary smile and infinite tenderness. Baekhyun spaced out. He terribly missed Chanyeol, missed being with Chanyeol, breathing the same air, laughing in his presence, cracking jokes, then turning back to look if Chanyeol was laughing too. He decided he was really not the club hopping type.

He tripped inside their room that night only to be startled out of his haze at the sight of a shadow pacing around in the room.

  
"You're still awake?" he asked tentatively.  
"I could not sleep." the shadow said, drawing near.  
"Why not?" Baekhyun's voice was a purr.  
"Because you weren't here." Chanyeol's voice was a whisper, his fingers ghosting over Baekhyun's slender neck and cool cheeks.

  
It was dark. It was hot. Baekhyun found himself being gripped by strong hands, a warm breath followed by plush lips on his. He returned the kiss, and he had never been so drunk before.

  
"Baekhyun." Chanyeol groaned into the kiss, claiming his roommate's mouth. The hunger was mutual, the night a culmination of their slow and painful dance around each other. Baekhyun totally surrendered himself the moment their lips met, melting in the other boy's tight hold.

  
He had been dying for a kiss from Chanyeol all this time.

  
"Don't stop." he begged when Chanyeol pulled away. He was so thankful that the lights were out because he couldn't be so brave with the lights on.  
"Believe me, I have no plans to." Chanyeol's lips were on his again, his hands fumbling with Baekhyun's belt. Their clothes were gone by the time they stumbled on the bed glued to each other. Laying down naked with Yixing had never felt like this.

  
Chanyeol's hands were on Baekhyun's hips, he was grinding against the boy. His mouth had claimed Baekhyun's neck, sending heavenly sensations coursing through the boy's body.

  
"Just tell me you have thought of doing as much as I have." Chanyeol whispered in Baekhyun's ears and licked the sensitive skin.  
"All the time." Baekhyun whispered.  
"Yes?" Chanyeol teased a nipple, Baekhyun gripped his hair.  
"Mmmm." Baekhyun spread his legs, making space for his roommate.  
"The lube's in the drawer."

  
Chanyeol slathered a generous amount of lube on his fingers and his now rigid dick.  
Baekhyun thought he knew all about primal pleasure, but Chanyeol taught him that sometimes even a lot could never be enough. Three fingers were simply not enough, moaning his room mate's name aloud was simply not enough. Their kisses weren't enough. Their cocks rubbing against each other was not enough. Chanyeol's teeth on his skin simply not enough. Chanyeol licking his opening not enough. He wanted so much more. There was a fervour in his mind, a fever in his body which would not subside.

  
It was on the tip of his tongue, but even in the mad frenzy and drunken haze, Baekhyun guarded his secret.

  
"Please. I need you inside me. All of you."  
Baekhyun's hips buckled when Chanyeol pulled his fingers out and positioned his member instead.

  
Chanyeol's first thrusts were painfully slow.  
"Faster..faster..please." Baekhyun moaned, totally giving in to the sinful pleasure.  
Chanyeol built the pace up, making sure to hit the sensitive spot with every thrust. He hoisted Baekhyun's legs on his shoulders, pushing deep inside, rejoicing at the boy going crazy underneath him.

  
"Feeling good now?" he asked in between thrusts.  
"Feeling good now." Baekhyun whispered, biting his lips.  
The sound of wet slapping noises punctuated Baekhyun's moans. Chanyeol wanted to last forever, he wanted the night to last forever. He wanted Baekhyun forever pinned underneath him, making those crude noises, uninhabited and wild.

  
Baekhyun came in the next few thrusts, a mess of weak limbs and slurry words, too far gone for any coherent thought now. But Chanyeol had only just begun. He took his sweet time ramming into his room mate, switching positions thrice.  
"You are so tight." he groaned throatily, his hips latched on to Baekhyun's, hands grabbing Baekhyun for dear life. He could not tell if the wetness around his belly was sweat or Baekhyun's cum.  
"I am gonna come inside you."

  
Chanyeol was seeking permission. Baekhyun hummed; he kissed Chanyeol as he came down from his high, shuddering and grunting. Long legs pinned Baekhyun to the spot even as long limbs caressed his well-endowed bottom.  
"All your body fat seems to have accumulated here." Chanyeol tapped that ass, making it jiggle. Baekhyun snuggled closer to his roommate. "Sleepy." he complained.

  
"I am not sure you'll get to sleep after turning me into an insomniac."  
Baekhyun knew Chanyeol was teasing. He struggled to get away from the boy but stilled when he felt semen ooze out from his butt hole.  
"It's okay, let it drip." Chanyeol's hands roamed around his milky bottom, massaging it.  
Baekhyun fell into deep slumber soon after. Chanyeol could not help but be amused with his sleepy roommate. He hugged the boy tighter, leaving kisses all over the cheeks to chase any bad dreams away. But who was he kidding, there shall be no bad dreams tonight.

 

Baekhyun did not feel the need to talk about it in the morning; he presumed that they had had enough one night stands in the past to make a huge deal of the night before. He climbed out of the bed, mindful not to wake the other boy up. The covers had fallen back while they slept, and Chanyeol's morning wood was all but obvious. Baekhyun gazed at the impressive length, before scolding himself for getting distracted this early in the morning.

  
A cool shower later, Baekhyun busied himself in the kitchen. He tried not to think at all, chasing away every thought; he did not stop to savour the memories of the night before, or to acknowledge the nagging doubts creeping into his heart. Now what, he thought. Where do they go from here?

  
Breakfast was spaghetti, much to Tao's delight. Baekhyun gave him extra helpings, engaging in a lively banter with the Chinese student in order to avoid looking at his roommate. He could not look at the other boy without blushing and giving away the secret. But his hands were shaking. He tried to pick up an olive from his plate but it ended up hopping to the floor instead. Acting as though nothing happened, Baekhyun concentrated on his plate, cursing his butter fingers.

  
"Here. Eat." Chanyeol picked up an olive from his own plate and offered it to him.  
Baekhyun looked up nervously, licking his lips at the sight of his very delectable roommate. He opened his mouth slowly and licked the olive out of Chanyeol's fingers, the move more seductive than was intended.

  
Chanyeol hummed in satisfaction. The others were too busy gobbling down breakfast at their usual hurried pace to notice their blatant flirting.

  
Baekhyun thanked the Gods when breakfast time was over and he could busy himself with clearing the table and washing the dishes. He shooed Sehun away, who always helped him with the dishes, wishing to be alone with his thoughts. He felt heat coursing through his entire body and it was all thanks to the suggestive looks his roommate had sent his way.

  
"So.. you wanna talk about last night?" Baekhyun jumped as Chanyeol sneaked up on him from behind. Baekhyun gripped the kitchen sink hard.  
"Do we have to?"  
Chanyeol observed Baekhyun closely, taking in the slight trembling of Baekhyuns fingers.  
"Are you sure you do not want to talk about it?"  
"mmm hmm" Baekhyun would not look at him. It was evident he was beyond shy.  
"You're right of course. We can simply pick off where we left off." Chanyeol crowded Baekhyun, his arms on either side of Baekhyun, breath ghosting over the others nape.  
"Now?" Baekhyuns eyes went wide.  
"Why? Is there a problem?"  
"Erm ..college?"  
"Fuck college. Actually no. Let's fuck you instead. And kiss you all day. And touch you where ever."

  
Chanyeol rubbed his erect cock against Baekhyun's ass, scrunching his fingers around the boy's shorts in the process of tugging them off.  
"But the others." Baekhyun protested weakly.  
"Hmm. We can wait for the others to leave. Then you and I can swim naked in the pool." Chanyeol had the most wolfish smile.  
Baekhyun blushed several shades of tomato red. "The pool? But - but onlookers?"  
"Tsk. That's too many buts, Byun. Making out in the open is part of the fun." Chanyeol leaned in and left a very wet kiss on the corner of Baekhyun's lips. "I am guessing you haven't done that before? Sex in the open terrace."

 

Kai threw funny looks their way when Chanyeol and Baekhyun both declared that they were staying back, but opted not to say anything out aloud.

 

He voiced his concerns to Kyungsoo in the car.  
"About Chanyeol and Baekhyun - " Kai began uncertainly, steering the wheel.  
"What about them?" Kyungsoo immediately snorted. They had had this talk before, about how both their friends were obviously falling for each other.  
"I think they stayed back to make out, you know."

  
"About time too, don't you think? I have had it with them making honeymoon eyes at each other from across the table."  
Kai bent to leave a kiss on his boyfriend's cheek at the traffic signal. "Should I ask Chanyeol what his intentions are?"  
Kyungsoo pondered over this, "Maybe wait until they themselves say something about this to us?"

  
"It's so obvious though." Kai said spitefully, "How can they even think of fooling us, not when Baekhyun wears all of Chanyeol's clothes and Chanyeol keeps buying more and more so Baekhyun can have plenty to wear."

  
"Exactly." Kyungsoo added, "All Baekhyun cooks these days are Chanyeol's favorites. Tao keeps whining about it all the time too. He has stopped baking treats because Chanyeol doesn't like the smell. I mean, can they be more obvious?"  
"I am happy for Chanyeol, of course. After what happened with Yerim, I think what he needs more than anything is stability, and Baekhyun can give him that."  
Kyungsoo frowned. Yerim had moved out before Kyungsoo had shifted in with the boys. "What was Yerim like?"

  
Kai took some time to answer, "She was a wrecking ball. Loved Chanyeol to bits, but acted very selfishly in the end."

 

Chanyeol did not lose a single second when the cars pulled out of their driveway. He led Baekhyun to the swimming pool, smirking all the while as though he had caught a prized fish in his net.  
Baekhyun's legs were turning to jelly in anticipation.

  
They sat on the edge of the swimming pool, hands clasped. Chanyeol's cock was erect with need but he wanted to kiss Baekhyun to his heart's content first.  
"You really aren't afraid of onlookers." Baekhyun said shyly when the last of their garments were tossed away.

  
Chanyeol gave a lascivious smile, "They are welcome to see." His raked Baekhyun's body with his eyes before leaning down to kiss the boy. His fingers traced patterns on the porcelain skin, drawing involuntary moans in their wake.  
"Please, will you suck my dick?" Chanyeol asked, breaking their kiss. "I want to come in your mouth so bad. I have been thinking about it."

  
One time, Chanyeol became horribly hard at office in his father's presence, just imagining Baekhyun's mouth around him.

  
Baekhyun's eyes never left Chanyeol's as he pushed a the toned chest of the latter, willing his roommate to lay on his back.  
"Oh God! This feels so good." Chanyeol moaned as Baekhyun licked the tip. He clutched the boy's hair tightly as the tongue traveled downwards to his base, lapping at his throbbing cock. The dainty palms of his dainty boy cupped his balls, eliciting further moans from him. The sight of his cock disappearing in Baekhyun's pretty, pink mouth and the sensation following it left Chanyeol weak and jelly limbed.  
"Ah! Can I stay inside your mouth for like forever? Can I live inside your mouth? Sweet Jesus."

  
Egged on, Baekhyun took all of Chanyeol in his mouth.  
"You make me feel so good. Aaaaaaaah." Chanyeol started pushing his dick inside Baekhyun's mouth, self-control ebbing away as Baekhyun's tongue tasted all of him. 'I want to be glued to your tongue."

  
If not otherwise occupied, Baekhyun would have snorted at Chanyeol's cheesiness. His eyes went wide as Chanyeol's long hand found and clasped around his own erection. Even as Chanyeol thrust inside Baekhyun's mouth, he continued to move his fist up and down Baekhyun's penis in a steady motion. Baekhyun's mouth went lax around Chanyeol as he felt his own orgasm. Chanyeol ejaculated all of his seed inside Baekhyun's mouth, and stayed there until his spasms subsided. He pulled himself out of his new burrow only when Baekhyun absolutely had to swallow.  
Chanyeol's palm was sticky with Baekhyun's cum. He rubbed it on his stomach, looking forward to a swim and their second round. Baekhyun had crumbled on top of him and his eyes were still closed. That sexy mouth was bared open though, its shape alone hardening Chanyeol's cock.

  
"I want to fuck you in every room of this house." Chanyeol declared, unabashed.  
Baekhyun gave a small smile, eyes still closed. His roommate waited for Baekhyun to savour the after effects of his orgasm.  
"That wasn't technically swimming pool sex like you promised." Baekhyun said once he finally opened his eyes.

  
Chanyeol chuckled and sat up. "So eager? That was just for starters. Swimming pool sex is the main course."  
Baekhyun sat up too, following Chanyeol to the pool. The water was not too cold. "Then what's for dessert?"  
Chanyeol held Baekhyun's hips possessively as his roommate stepped inside the pool.

  
"Dessert is me taking my sweet time eating you up on the dining table. And the main course is," Chanyeol turned Baekhyun around, "me ramming into your perky ass from behind, nice and slow."

 

Chanyeol's need for Baekhyun was crazy. He could not last a day now without those kisses from his roommate and his addiction was getting the better of him. He stopped going to his father's office. He could not concentrate on work anyway, he had addressed Yoora as Baekhyun enough times already. She was beginning to smell a rat. Home was better. Home was Baekhyun. Home was touching Baekhyun on one pretext or other. Home was smelling his roommate's sweet smell. If Baekhyun were to smell like ten different strawberry cakes now, he would eat those cakes and eat Baekhyun as well.

  
Was it simply good sex, mad sex or something more, it was so hard to tell.

  
They hid the marks of their nights well, Baekhyun rarely slept on his bed anymore. When he did fall asleep on his own bed waiting for his roommate to come home, Chanyeol would always carry him tenderly to his bed.  
Night times were the best times, when the boys were gone from their room and silence filled the house. Like sunflowers naturally turning towards the sun, Chanyeol and Baekhyun reached out for each other. Their touches were gentle, kisses never rushed, they had all the time in the world.

  
Chanyeol wanted to bring flowers for Baekhyun every evening but imagined that it would be too forward of him. Plus, the kids would get prematurely excited and the cat would be out of the bag and where was the fun in that.

  
He had no idea that the cat was already out of the bag and lapping milk at Sehun and Tao's doorstep. Baekhyun was not exactly quiet in bed and Sehun and Tao were quite the sleuths. Once they heard Baekhyun moaning Chanyeol's name aloud, they couldn't un-hear it after all.But it was funny for the other boys, to see Chanyeol and Baekhyun sitting close to each other, closer than they used to, and try very hard not to touch each other, or make their affection obvious.

  
Thursdays were movie nights in the household. Everyone gathered at Tao's room in front of the home theatre, lying in varying degrees on the floor with the lights out. Chanyeol would blatantly make Baekhyun sit on his lap, and take the cover of the darkness to leave kisses on his roommate's rounded cheeks. Thursdays used to be the most exciting time for the kids, but with Chanyeol and Baekhyun fumbling around in the dark, movie nights became insufferable.

  
Sehun wanted to call them out. Tao too. Only Kai wished to give the couple their own sweet time to arrive at things. They were all happy for the two, it was pretty much evident that Baekhyun had a calming presence on Chanyeol. It had not slipped anyone's notice that Chanyeol had slowly become more grounded as a result of Baekhyun. Baekhyun, on the other hand, was full of radiance these days. He was light personified, and the happier he became, the brighter the household turned into.  
They were relieved that Chanyeol did not grudge Baekhyun's affectionate behaviour towards all his flatmates. Chanyeol, in fact, looked on proudly as Baekhyun snuggled close to Tao or bit Sehun on his bum. They were the exceptions though.

  
They had thrown a house party a couple of days back. Chanyeol did not like the moves Sehun's friends made on Baekhyun. A new house rule soon came to existence - No House Parties.

 

The invitation to Yoora and Changmin's formal engagement dinner came one evening, in bold letters of gold, and accompanied by an assortment of chocolates and champagne. They were watching a wrestling match on TV and the bets had been made, when the happy news diverted all their attention from the bloodied punches and heavy grunts. Tao immediately uncorked the champagne and spattered their clothes with expensive liquor. An immediate atmosphere of celebration settled around their house and Chanyeol looked like the proud brother he was.

  
He immediately rang up his sister and excused himself to the balcony. Baekhyun watched him leave the room, feeling nervous all of a sudden. This would be the first time he would be in the presence of Chanyeol's family, not that they were boyfriends, Baekhyun hastily corrected himself.

  
Not knowing where he stood with Chanyeol was eating him inside out. True, his roommate had been nothing but affectionate and caring, but the fact that they were mere friends in everyone else's eyes was beginning to bother Baekhyun. It hadn't before, but it was now. Inside this house they called home, Baekhyun was surefooted. But outside it, he was at a loss, he could not really tell where he belonged, if he belonged to the person who made love to him most nights.  
They should have had the talk much before, Baekhyun realised. He was a fool to have pushed it off. And now he did not know if they were friends with benefits, or roommates, boyfriends, lovers, what.

  
Baekhyun counted the months. It was close. His time was near. Nobody talked about it, but hadn't it been the arrangement since day one? He was only here for six months.

  
Sehun thrust a glass of champagne in his hands.  
"You look so far away, hyung." the boy commented. Baekhyun put on a dazzling smile. He was glad Chanyeol was out on the balcony, he would have sensed Baekhyun's change of mood in a second.

  
"Yoora has asked me to stay at home until the engagement. There's a lot of running around to do. Mother is frantic because Yoora gave her such little time to put the event together." Chanyeol announced immediately once he returned to the living room. Baekhyun's heart broke just a little bit when Chanyeol referred to his parents' place as home. He turned away from the match going on in the TV and smiled at the person he had come to love. "Please convey my regards to Yoora noona."

  
Chanyeol flopped himself next to Baekhyun, snatching Kai's glass of champagne in the process, "I can't believe she is getting married and all, you know. I am a little sad for some reason."  
"I understand." Baekhyun mumbled.  
Chanyeol gave him a searching look, "I will be gone for just a couple of days." he whispered, rubbing Baekhyun's knee. "You can call me anytime you feel like chatting."

  
In the end, Chanyeol was always out on some errand or the other whenever Baekhyun called. Their conversations were swift and short. Baekhyun hated it. He had grown so used to his roommate's presence, the physical distance was unbearable.

  
Baekhyun slept in Chanyeol's bed, often begging Tao to sleep beside him, which the other boy readily agreed to do. He stayed in bed till late in the morning, tossing and turning, mind far away, refusing to cook, forgetting to go to college, calling in sick at work.

  
Kyungsoo was worried for his friend. They all were.  
"Bloody Chanyeol." Kyungsoo said darkly, watching Sehun and Tao frolick around in the pool, "Can't he at least drop by this place? He is acting as though he doesn't even stay here anymore."

  
Kai was a pacifist, "It is going to be quite an affair, Soo. All the who's who of the city will be present. There's a lot to arrange and so little time. Yoora noona literally sprang this on them out of the blue. I am sure Chanyeol is doing a lot of running around."

  
"I don't care about the who's who of this city." Kyungsoo said disgruntled, "I care about Baekhyun. He's in a state. Do you think we should intervene?"  
Sehun swam up to them. "I thought we decided not to intervene."  
"They hid the fact that they were doing each other behind closed doors. We shouldn't intervene."  
"But wouldn't it be fun if it was out in the open?" Tao pressed.  
Kai shook his head, "No. Just let them be."  
"But Baekhyun hyung is sad. I don't like seeing him sad."  
"Exactly." Kyungsoo backed Tao up.

  
"No." Kai said, with an air of finality, "Who knows, we might screw things up if we interfere. I agree, Chanyeol has all but deserted us. But, in his defence, he is super busy. How many of us have planned an engagement ceremony of this magnitude?"  
Sehun was unimpressed with Chanyeol, "All I want is for hyung to stay with us forever. And if Chanyeol hyung messes it up, I will not forgive him."

 

Tao and Sehun took Baekhyun to the movie and they made him laugh with their antics. Later, they took him to the shopping district to buy attire for the upcoming party.

  
Chanyeol's call came when Baekhyun was trying on his suit.  
'Where are you?"  
"I am shopping with the kids."  
"I have some free time. Let's meet."  
Baekhyun's heart soared. "Yeah. Okay. Sure."

  
Chanyeol would not let Baekhyun pay for his suit, despite the many objections by the latter.  
"I haven't bought you anything since those shoes. Please let me buy these for you."  
"I don't like this." Baekhyun pressed, trying to push his bills in the cashier's hand. But Chanyeol swatted his hand away. Their wrestling was a little unbecoming in the high-end store, so Tao whispered urgently in the cashier's ear and passed him his credit card.  
"You guys can stop touching each other now. It's already been paid for."

 

"Why can Tao pay for your clothes but I can't?" Chanyeol argued hotly on their way back. He was dropping Baekhyun home while the kids followed in their car, as usual.  
"It's because I am not sleeping with Tao."  
"What is that supposed to mean?"  
"It means, I won't feel like a kept man if Tao pays for my stuff for once. But if it's you -"  
"What?" the tyres screeched as Chanyeol put the brakes on, bringing the car to a halt at the side of the road to get a better look at Baekhyun's face.

  
Baekhyun looked evenly at his roommate.  
"That's plain ridiculous. Where did you even get that idea from?"  
"My classmates. They've seen you dropping me off at college in your BMW and they make crazy assumptions. They call me names behind my back."  
"Why should they? It's just me dropping my roommate off to college. Can't a friend do this for another friend?"

  
_Roommate. Friend._

  
Chanyeol's choice of words hurt Baekhyun. He did not say anything after that, staring pointedly outside the window. The kiss they shared when Chanyeol dropped him off tasted stale. 

 

Finally, the day arrived, the day of the engagement. The Park family, Chanyeol to be precise, had booked a seven-star hotel for the event. As a resplendent looking Yoora and an equally arresting Changmin exchanged rings at the beautifully lit garden, the creme de la creme of Seoul's high society clapped and raised their glasses. It was anything but a private affair. The shutterbugs were busy clicking pictures of the film stars and celebrities who had turned up. Baekhyun, sitting in a secluded corner, felt terribly out of place. Chanyeol was not there to ease him through this novel experience. He should have known Chanyeol would turn into a totally different person amidst such a crowd. He had not expected the boy to stick to him all through the night, but he was not prepared for this either, this desertion. His roommate was far too busy offering drinks to beautiful, young socialites.

  
Sehun and Tao had found their own coterie of rich brats. They moved to a deserted area, no doubt about to get high as fuck.  
Kai's father was present, and the politician's son had taken Kyungsoo to introduce him to Mr. Kim. Kyungsoo was just as nervous as Baekhyun, but he had his boyfriend by his side, a steady arm for support, and a warm smile for reassurance.

  
Baekhyun had none of that. He should never have come to this party. The opulence and grandeur intimidated him. The slap of reality was harsh and eye opening. He looked longingly at Chanyeol, missing him as he sat there all alone beneath the beautifully decorated trees. This Chanyeol was not the Chanyeol that reached out for him at night. He was someone else, meant to be something else, and so out of his league.

  
Baekhyun let his heart break then. There are some of us who already go through the motions of heart break before it's time is due. Beakhyun was one of them. His heart was a paper airplane, exhilarated to be mid air, knowing he'll fall in the blink of an eye. His heart was burnt sugar.

  
His roommate came quietly to sit by his side and gave him company for a good five minutes or so before being summoned. There were so many people to meet, so much small talk to be made. Chanyeol looked at Baekhyun guiltily but Baekhyun reassured him with a smile.

  
"Go on." he egged.  
"Don't forget to say good night before leaving." Chanyeol reminded. Baekhyun suddenly realised that Chanyeol never held Baekhyun's hands in public.

  
Disappointment comes to all, it comes in all shapes and sizes, disguised. Disappointment always tastes bitter, whether one had been expecting it or not. They were familiar with each other between the sheets. But what were they, really - familiar strangers, unfamiliar roommates, Baekhyun could not tell.

 

Chanyeol moved back to their shared apartment the very next day. It felt so good to be back home where he belonged, where Baekhyun and the others were. His parents had yet again tried to coax him to move in with them, tried and failed. It was too late for his parents to make amends, show interest in his life. Yoora and he had needed their affection as children, what use was that affection now when they were all grown up and self-sufficient?

  
Chanyeol could be a filial son but he could never move back and pretend like his parents had been there for him when he needed them the most. It was money they had chased back then, Chanyeol could make more money for them. But love he had found outside, and that he would fight tooth and nail to keep.

  
These past days had flown by in a daze. Yoora was a perfectionist who wanted her engagement to be exactly the way she had envisioned since childhood. He did not even get the time to miss Baekhyun properly, which was just as well, because otherwise, he would have died of longing. But now that he was back home, Chanyeol properly took in the scent of his roommate clinging to every corner of their room. He could not wait to make up for the lost time. His roommate was such a person, every moment with Baekhyun was to be cherished.

  
It looked like Baekhyun had spent the past few days sleeping on his bed in his absence. Chanyeol smiled at this. Because his roommate acted so fiercely independent, Chanyeol loved the times when the true colours shone through. His fond smile disappeared the very next minute. There was a half filled form under his pillow, and it was a hostel application form. Chanyeol had half a mind to tear up the application the minute he double checked it. He was so fumed he wanted to burn the paper on the kitchen stove.

  
What was Baekhyun filling an application form for? Was he mistaken, did he read their entire situation wrong? Baekhyun's university was quite a long way off and who would travel so far every day to meet him? Chanyeol definitely would, if worst came to worst, but he preferred their present situation. He felt a little betrayed. It felt like Baekhyun was breaking up with him.

  
He wanted to call Bakhyun and demand an explanation but crookedly realised that his short tempered roommate might just take off for Jongdae's room, or worse, Yixing's. No. He did not want to fight over the phone. He willed his anger to subside, focusing on cleaning his room instead. By the time he picked all of Baekhyun's discarded clothes littering the floor, his bewilderment at the sudden situation was gone. Baekhyun's discarded clothes meant one thing - that he had not been wearing Chanyeol's lately.

  
It was true, they had yet to have a formal talk about what they were to each other. Chanyeol realised belatedly that it might have been a terrible miscalculation on his part. If Baekhyun knew what he meant to Chanyeol, what he was for him, he would never have filled the application form in the first place. He would never have thought of leaving. Here was home for the two of them; there was no need for anyone to leave.

  
The man of the house cooked that day. He was lying in wait when Baekhyun tiredly walked inside the house. Chanyeol saw Baekhyun's eyes light up at the sight of him, but for some reason, the boy was holding himself back.

  
"What is this? Care to explain?" Chanyeol accosted him in the living room itself. Sehun and Tao, already briefed by Chanyeol, kept their eyes glued to the TV screen. Kyungsoo poked his head from the kitchen area, too curious to not miss the scene.  
"This is my application form for hostel accommodation." Baekhyun said evenly, but his tiny fists were balled.

  
Chanyeol crossed his arms, "And why do you need hostel accommodation? Aren't you happy here?"  
"I am," Baekhyun was quick to answer, "But our arrangement was only for six months, and they will be up in a few days - "  
"Our _arrangement_?" Chanyeol thundered. Baekhyun visibly cowered on spot "What part of us sleeping together was an arrangement?"

  
Baekhyun whipped his neck to check the reaction of their audience, but the kids were silent and unmoving as though set in stone.  
"What does us fucking each other have to do with me moving out?" Baekhyun asked coldly.

  
'Byun Baekhyun, are you kidding me right now? Do you want me to spell it out for you?"  
Baekhyun uncrossed his arms, suddenly putting distance between them and turning away.  
"No. You don't have to say anything. I had a long day at work and just - I need a bath."

  
Chanyeol grabbed him by his arms and forced Baekhyun to turn around.  
"I will give you a scrub later, and a soothing massage. First, hear me out."

  
Baekhyun wanted to cry at the fool invading his space and demanding explanations. He did not want to say it out aloud - that they belonged to two different worlds, and never the twain could meet. Chanyeol could be all his in the confines of this house, but outside it, Chanyeol was untouchable, unreachable. It was as if a fog had been lifted from Baekhyun's mind. He was finally thinking straight. Spending more time with Chanyeol, sleeping with him night after night would only break his heart, if it was not already broken.

  
"Let me go." Baekhyun protested weakly.  
"Never, you fool." Chanyeol drew Baekhyun in for a hug. Sehun and Tao could now no longer keep looking at the screen, they turned around smiling triumphantly at the embrace.  
Chanyeol rubbed soothing circles on his roommate's back, "Is this punishment for me being unavailable this past couple of days?"  
"No." came the choked reply.  
"If it is, I am sorry, really sorry. I should have taken better care of you. Trust me, I was swamped with work. I wanted everything to be smooth for Yoora's engagement."

  
"It's alright." Baekhyun stepped back from Chanyeol, blinking.  
"But I am home now, at your disposal. Punish me as you see fit, but don't talk about leaving."

  
That did it. Seeing Chanyeol at his soppy best elicited those loud guffaws from Sehun and Tao. Kyungsoo too joined in the catcalls and cheers, not wanting to be left behind. Baekhyun decided it was not a good time yet to put all his doubts to words. He smiled along with the rest of them.  
"Chanyeol even made dinner today." Sehun declared  
"You did?"  
"You left me no choice. I had to persuade you to stay, by hook or by crook."

They were speaking all at once at the dinner table.  
"We knew you guys were hooking up long back." Kyungsoo said, looking proud.  
"I knew they were going to hook up before the thought even entered their minds." Tao declared.

  
Chanyeol was looking at Baekhyun fondly, happy that the issue of Bakhyun leaving had been resolved. There was an air of joy prevailing around the dinner table and Baekhyun did not have the heart to bring the mood down. Would it be too bad if he stayed back indefinitely, he asked himself. There was the huge matter of an impending heartbreak for sure, but looking around at the happy faces surrounding him, Baekhyun decided he should savour as much as he could. For now, he pushed his doubts to the back of his mind. They would nag him from time to time, suddenly making him buckle under their weight, but how could one willingly walk away from something they had wished for since childhood - a family, a home, someone to love.

 

Autumn turned to winter and winter turned to spring. The kids grew a bit taller, Chanyeol got busier, and Kai and Kyungsoo left for a trip to Tokyo on the spring break. Tao left for home on the break as well, and only Sehun remained in the house to give the lovebirds company. Baekhyun's hair was no longer lined with pink, but a glorious black. Chanyeol's was black too. They dyed their hair together, standing side by side in front of the bathroom sink. Baekhyun's bed in the corner of Chanyeol's room was gone, there was no need for it now.

They had fallen in the habit of taking long drives by the river at night, all six of them packed together in Chanyeol's car. They were thick as thieves, more so than ever. Baekhyun had learned to drive and Chanyeol had finally learned to bake.

  
Chanyeol was summoned by his parents one glorious spring morning. The boy thought the special brunch invite from Mr. and Mrs. Park had something to do with Yoora's upcoming wedding. Chanyeol was off the mark, but not quite. The folks wanted to discuss Chanyeol's future, it turned out.

  
Mr. and Mrs. Park, for all their social standing and aura of untouchability, were quite affable people deep down.  
They looked quite the power couple though, in the proper attire for a brunch in the garden of their sprawling mansion.  
Mrs. Park broached the subject first. "You hardly visit us."  
"You are hardly home, mother." Chanyeol pointed out, as the manservant served food on his plate.

  
"Your mother says you have found Yerim's replacement. She regularly laments why you feel the need to shield this person from us." Mr. Park never minced his words.  
"Mother!" Chanyeol looked at Mrs. Park, aghast, "Did you put detectives after me, like you did with Yoora last time?"

  
"My dear boy." Mrs. Park put her cup down, acting scandalised, "I never did such a thing. Yoora would say anything to make me look bad." But her eyes twinkled. She added, as though in an afterthought, "No detectives are necessary in your case. You have such nice friends. Kai was quite willing to disclose all about you, especially after I praised that beautiful boyfriend of his."

  
Mrs. Park could be as shrewd as a snake when the need arised.

"When did you even get to talk to Kai?"  
"At Yoora's engagement, where else?"

  
Chanyeol rolled his eyes. Trust his mother to snoop around even on an important day like his sister's engagement. "What did he say?" Lucky for Kai that he was in Tokyo right now.  
"He had plenty to say about this boy, Byun Baekhyun was his name?" she feigned memory loss.

  
Chanyeol threw his napkin on the table, startling his parents, "I won't sit here and willingly listen to this."  
But he made no move to stand up.  
"All I want for you is your happiness, Chan. But tell me, is he really an orphan?"  
"If that's how you're gonna be, I am never going to introduce you guys." Chanyeol said sternly.

  
"C'mon," Mrs. Park coaxed, "I just want to meet him. It was already bad manners of you to not introduce us at the engagement."  
"Because you would have flooded him with twenty different questions and kept a hawk eye on him all through out. That's not what I want for Baekhyunnie."  
"Ah, Baekhyunnie. I see." His mother winked at his father.

  
"Son, " his father placed a gentle hand on his forearm, "Have we ever stopped you from living your life the way you want? Have we not put the world at your feet? Now if your mother wants to know about your significant other, shouldn't you humor her? I hate seeing her worry about you."

  
"Yoora too." Mrs Park immediately seized the opportunity, "She told us about Changmin at the very last minute, can you believe it? My own daughter. Half the tabloids knew they were going to marry before I did. When it's your turn, Chan, I want to know before hand. I want to be there when it happens."

  
"You want to be there when I propose to Baekhyun? Are you nuts?" Chanyeol protested.  
"Ah! So you are thinking of proposing to him?" Mrs. Park had the widest smile plastered over her face.  
"No." Chanyeol rebutted hotly, "At least not yet. Don't- don't put ideas in my head." he scolded.

  
Mrs. Park lifted both her hands as though in surrender. "Fine. Fine. I give up. I won't interfere in your lives. But bring him for tea sometimes, let him adjust to our surroundings before bringing him in the family. I am serious, Chan. Bring him home someday."  
"I can't."  
"And why not?"  
"Because I haven't told him that I love him yet. And if I - if I bring him here, you'll just go ahead and tell him on your own."  
"Then tell him. What's stopping you?"  
"I'm just waiting for the right moment. He - he might get scared if I just blurt out my feelings like that."

  
Mrs. Park pursed her lips, serious for the first time since they sat down for brunch, "Park Chanyeol, are you serious about this boy?"  
Chanyeol nodded.  
"Then you should tell him. Don't hesitate if you already know he is the one for you. What's the worst that could happen?"  
"He might bolt? He might not feel the same way?"  
"Tsk! Kids these days." Mr. Park mumbled.

  
But Chanyeol did not want to be too hasty. He had notions of a love that lasted forever whereas Baekhyun believed that good things tended to come to an end. They approached their reality from different angles. It was hard to reconcile their views sometimes.

  
"Does he make you happy?" his mother asked softly after the tables were cleared.  
"More than anyone has ever made me." his voice rang with sincerity. "You'll like him when you finally get to meet him. If you get to meet him, that is. I might whisk him off to Australia and get married there, just us."

  
It was Mrs. Park's turn to roll her eyes. "I trust my private detectives to do their job. You're never going to pull that one on me, Chan. And speaking of private detectives, a little birdie told me that Yerim landed in Seoul this morning." She whisked her cell phone out. "The little birdie also told me that Yerim drove to your apartment the minute she landed."

  
Chanyeol's eyes widened. "Why didn't you tell me before? Baekhyun's alone at home! Oh God, mother, sometimes I don't get your silly games at all."  
Mrs. Park waved at Chanyeol as he rushed out of the garden, "Bring Baekhyun along next time."

 

  
Baekhyun had been folding the laundry when the doorbell rang. Strange, he thought. Who could it be? All the boys knew the passcode, and in almost a year of his living here, the doorbell had never rung unexpectedly.

  
The girl at the door was pretty, with long wavy hair. She gave him a bright smile and moved past him to enter the house.  
"Are any of the boys home?" she enquired, her high heels making clicking sounds on the floor.  
"And who are you?" Baekhyun asked, a strange sensation coursing through his body.  
"I used to live here. I am Yerim." she offered her hand to Baekhyun, whose blood ran cold, "And you are?"  
"Baekhyun. I am Chanyeol's room mate."

  
Comprehension dawned on Yerim's face, "Oh! You are the baker boy Chanyeol was complaining about?" She giggled.  
"I didn't know you guys kept in touch." Baekhyun said haltingly, feeling self-conscious. The girl in front of him was sizing him up from head to toe.

  
"Why would we not be in touch?" Yerim shrugged and again moved past him to enter Chanyeol's bedroom. She surveyed the area shrewdly, "It's exactly the same as before." Yerim seemed satisfied. "But where is your bed?"

  
Baekhyun gripped the door handle, "We sleep on the same bed." He was oddly satisfied at the tiny frown that appeared on her face at his disclosure.  
"You do? Well, that's surprising."  
Baekhyun kept his face straight.  
"Where's Chanyeol?" Yerim flopped herself on the bed.

  
"He's gone to visit his parents." Baekhyun said, unsure of what else to say, how else to proceed. This was Chanyeol's ex after all. Should he ask her for tea or stay mute until the girl left of her own accord.

  
"Would you like to have some tea while you wait?"  
Polite. He decided to be polite to Chanyeol's ex.  
Yerim sighed, "Mrs. Park will not let go of Chanyeol so easily and I have twenty other friends to call upon. Anyway, Baekhyun, it was good getting to meet you finally. Tell Chanyeol I am back for good. I am sure he will be thrilled. You shall be seeing a lot more of me Baekhyun."

  
Baekhyun walked Yerim to her car. He kept staring at the street long after her car had disappeared round the corner. Perhaps this was a sign. A sign for him to finally move on. He had known it all along, this was not a place he belonged to, could belong to. He could wear Chanyeol's clothes and pretend like he was one of them, but he was not. He would never be accepted into their fold, their high society elite circles. He had a glimpse of Mr. and Mrs. Park at Yoora's engagement party, they seemed like nice folks who would not want anything to do with orphans who baked cakes. They looked like the people who would welcome Yerim with open arms.  
Baekhyun was not angry at his circumstances. He just accepted the truth and the way things were. Hopefully, acceptance would make it easier for him to step aside. With Yerim back in town and in Chanyeol's life, what else could he do except step aside?

 

Chanyeol was exceeding the speed limit but he did not care. He was angry at his mother. His mother knew, knew Yerim would be in town and she especially chose to invite Chanyeol over for brunch on the very day. How convenient! His mother liked to observe human behaviour, and often moved the chess pieces in Yoora's and his life, just for the heck of it. It was the primary reason why they had distanced themselves from his parents. They meant well, they did, but they were trying to over compensate for not being there for Yoora and Chanyeol when they were children. At least his parents approved of Baekhyun, that was one hurdle crossed.  
If only Yerim had not shown up, if only Yerim had stayed where she ran off to.

  
Life had been so smooth of late, he did not want any complications, especially now when his mother had planted the seed of him finally confessing his true feelings to Baekhyun. He wanted a conducive atmosphere, and Yerim sashaying back in his life was nowhere conducive.

  
What was Yerim even thinking, barging back in his life unannounced? He had loved Yerim, still did somewhere deep down, but that was a different Chanyeol who had fallen in love with her, and he was a different person now. Baekhyun turned him into a different person, changed him for the better.

  
Yerim was gone by the time he reached.

  
Baekhyun was sitting in the living room, staring absent mindedly at the TV.  
"You came back quite early." Baekhyun observed, his eye on the clock.  
"Did Yerim come in my absence?"

  
Oh! Was that why Chanyeol raced home. "She did."  
"She's gone?"  
"I offered tea, but she said she had some other people to call on."

  
Chanyeol did not say anything; he was intently observing the boy sitting cross legged on the floor.  
"What?" Baekhyun asked in a small voice.  
His roommate closed the distance between them in purposeful strides and kneeled down to hug him tightly.  
"I missed you." Chanyeol whispered.

  
Baekhyun realised he could breathe again. He let Chanyeol enclose him in a tight embrace. They stayed like that for some time.  
"Chanyeol?"  
"Hmm baby?"  
"I was thinking, should we change the curtains in our room? And get - get new stuff?"  
Chanyeol drew back to look at him properly.  
"Of course baby. Anything you want. We will go home shopping this evening. Cool?"  
"Cool."  
"What else do you want?"

  
_You. I want to buy you and keep you all for myself._

  
"New bedcovers, cushions, pillows, everything new."  
Chanyeol chuckled, and rocked the person he had come to love gently.

 _I will give you the world_ , he thought.

 

Yerim definitely wanted to get back together. Chanyeol ignored all her calls and messages for three days. On the fourth day, his ex just pirouetted inside his drawing room, looking like a million bucks and smelling heavenly as he and Baekhyun bantered over which anime to watch.

  
"Park Chanyeol, how dare you ignore my calls?"  
God. Yerim still thought she had a hold over him. Beside him, Baekhyun went deathly still.

  
Chanyeol did not want to create a scene in front of Baekhyun, he did not want to create a scene at all. This was his ex, a person he had cherished and respected, still did.

  
"I was busy."  
"With what?" Yerim accused, throwing a glance at Baekhyun. His roommate shuffled to his feet and mumbled that he would be in the bedroom.  
Chanyeol let out an audible sigh once Baekhyun retreated inside the house.

  
Yerim immediately came and hugged him, throwing him off balance.  
"I missed you so much." Yerim almost sobbed, "Please don't ignore me. I will make it alright. I will make the hurt go away. I promise."  
Nah. It was too late for that.

  
He disentangled himself from Yerim's firm hold, "Let's go grab a coffee." Anywhere but here. Anywhere Baekhyun couldn't eavesdrop.  
His ex was more than willing to go to a coffee shop. She had always hated staying indoors. Yerim was not a homebody. She was born to be the life of every party, energetic and stunning, like a diva.

  
They drove away in Yerim's car. Baekhyun observed them leave from the balcony.

 

Sehun frowned when Baekhyun recounted this. He had just dropped by their place to grab a clean set of clothes to head off for a game of squash. He decided to ditch squash at the sight of a horribly out of sorts Baekhyun.

  
The younger male made Baekhyun bitter camomile tea and proceeded to massage his pressure points.

  
"Hyung, you do know that Chanyeol hyung loves you, right?"  
Baekhyun did not know. There was no way to tell who Chanyeol loved more - Yerim or him.  
"Chanyeol never says that he does." he answered in a small voice. Chanyeol, who would whisper crazy endearments in his ear when they made love, never once said that.  
"Have you ever said those three little words to him?"  
"No."  
"Why not? You love him." It was not even a question, it was a statement. And it was true.  
"I don't want him to feel burdened."  
"Why would he feel burdened? He feels the same way. I know. We all know."

  
Baekhyun sipped the tea, basking in its bitterness.

 

Chanyeol waited for Yerim to say something, the coffee was beginning to grow cold. His ex was behaving as if they were on a regular date, going on and on about her stay in the States, and hardly broaching the real subject, the real reason why Chanyeol decided to give her an audience.

  
He glanced at his watch. Baekhyun was home alone, he thought.  
"Yerim, why are you doing this?"  
"Why am I doing what?" Yerim looked up from her phone, feigning ignorance.  
"This." Chanyeol gestured, "Barging inside my house. Acting like we are still on the same page."

  
Yerim pursed her lips and set her phone down. "Don't you want this? I thought you did. You begged me not to go."  
"Which you ended up doing, or have you forgotten?"

  
"Fine. If you want an apology, here I go. I am sorry I left. I am sorry I asked you not to wait for me. I was a fool. I didn't like it there at all. You know why? Because you weren't there. I missed you so much." She clasped Chanyeol's hand, "I realised that I will be miserable without you. So I am back here, begging you to take me back."

  
Chanyeol didn't say anything.  
"Channie, do you remember the way we were? We were young and in love and the world was our oyster. Wherever we went, people looked at us in wonder because we make such a good couple. My parents approve of you. Your parents approve of me. We can pick up where we left off. Can't we? Can't we Chan?"

  
Chanyeol pulled his hand away. "We can't."  
"I understand you are angry with me and acting all cold because of that. But I also know you'll come around, eventually."

  
Chanyeol clicked his tongue. This girl has it all wrong.  
"I was angry at you, in the beginning, Yerim. I am not anymore. Haven't been in a long while. I understand why you did what you did. It's your life. You made a decision. And it's my life. And I'm making my decision now, so I want you to respect it. I don't want you back. I don't love you that way anymore."

  
Yerim sat a little straighter.  
"Is there someone else in your life Chanyeol?"  
"There is," he replied truthfully, because why lie. "But I want you to know that even before he came to my life, I had already moved on from you."  
" _He?_ _I knew it._ I knew you would not be sharing a bed with a man if you weren't sleeping with him. Oh dear lord! I need a minute to process this."

  
Chanyeol waited patiently for Yerim to take it in.  
"But he - you hated him?"  
Chanyeol chuckled, "I did in the beginning. But like you said earlier, I came around eventually."  
"Oh God!" Yerim groaned, "I made a fool of myself, didn't I?"  
Chanyeol clasped her arm to reassure her, "Not at all, Yerim."

  
"Oh God!" Yerim repeated, "But- but - your parents! Will they be fine with a son in law? With _two_ sons in law?"  
"They seem to quite enjoy the idea." Chanyeol grinned.

  
"I am sorry Chanyeol." Yerim said softly after a length of time had passed.  
"There's nothing to be sorry for. Friends?"  
"Friends."

  
Now more than ever, he was clear in his head that it was Baekhyun he wanted, for life.

 

Baekhyun was waiting for him in the drawing room. Chanyeol was unprepared for the glare directed at his way.

  
"If you want me gone, just let me know." Baekhyun said coldly.  
"I knew you were going to say this. I know you very well, Baekhyun. But it seems you don't." Chanyeol stood by the doorway with an inscrutable expression on his face.  
"What am I to you? Just tell me what I am to you. I need to know this. Now. Today." He was shedding copious amount of tears.

  
"Calm down, Baekhyun." Chanyeol reached out for the boy but his roommate stepped back.  
"I can't calm down. Why did you leave with her?" He was throwing a fit. "If I am just - for you, if this is a casual affair for you, if you'll run into the arms of your first love, you need to tell me now."

  
Chanyeol could see that Baekhyun was dying to let his anger out, so he just let his roommate rant, patiently waiting to have his say in the end.  
"I will tell you what you want to know. For that, I need to take you someplace. Will you come with me?"

  
Baekhyun rubbed his wet cheeks, "Are you taking me to Yerim, because you can turn me down right here, you know."  
"God no, Baekhyun. Just please come."  
"Do I need to change?" Baekhyun stood blinking in Chanyeol's t shirt and a pair of short shorts with his runny nose. He looked downright cute and squishy and if he wasn't in a state, Chanyeol would have cooed at the sight.

  
"Just come with me. I will take care of you. Trust me on this."

  
They drove in silence, punctuated by Baekhyun's occasional sniffs. Chanyeol smiled to himself inwardly. He had fallen for the cutest boy ever. Baekhyun started out of his reverie when Chanyeol honked his car, waiting for the big iron gates to open. A huge mansion came into view, surrounded by tastefully manicured lawns.  
Baekhyun hesitated to come out of the car but Chanyeol grabbed his wrist and pulled him out.

  
"Where is this?" Baekhyun asked, his eyes going over the stately building and the colorful gardens. "Where're you taking me? What are you going to do?"  
"Something I should have done ages ago. Mother was right."

  
"Mother?" Baekhyun's eyes widened in shock. "No no no no no. You've got to be kidding me." He dug his heels into the ground.  
"I think we are long past that. The time for kidding was over the minute you started bawling. Just come in.'

  
Mr. Kim, the butler, was at the door to receive them. He cast curious glances at Baekhyun as he showed them to the parlor. Chanyeol would not let go of Baekhyun's hand.

  
"Is this your home?" Baekhyun looked downright intimidated to be there.  
Chanyeol drew Baekhyun closer, "This is where my parents stay, at least when they are in the country." They sat on the white sofa, waiting for the Lady of the house.  
"Why did you bring me here?" Baekhyun asked softly, chewing his lip.  
"So that these false notions in your mind get cleared."

  
Baekhyun pouted, "You could have asked me to wear appropriate clothes."  
"Nonsense. There's nothing wrong with those shorts, and that t shirt is mine. Besides, it serves you right for doubting me."

  
Baekhyun huffed and shifted his rounded bottom further away from Chanyeol.  
Mrs. Park practically ran inside the parlor to greet the guest, but stopped short at the sight of the petulant Baekhyun in his shorts. A wide grin appeared on her face even as Baekhyun stood up hastily and bowed low.

  
"There you are." Mrs. Park immediately came and enveloped Baekhyun in a bear hug, "I have been dying to meet you."

  
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Park."

  
"Tsk. Please call me Mother." she winked at the dumbfounded boy, her fingers trailing lovingly over Baekhyun's soft hair.

  
Chanyeol lightly pulled Baekhyun back towards him. "Mother, this is Baekhyun. Baekhyun, my mother. Father is in Dubai right now so I guess you shall be meeting him at a later date."

  
Mrs. Park scoffed, "Ah Chan! No need to be so formal. We are all family here. What do you say, Baekhyun? Please sit. Sit, my child."

  
For the first time ever since stepping inside the mansion, a smile appeared on Baekhyun's face. He was blushing too, and quite prettily at that. Chanyeol had never been prouder of him.

  
There was silence for some time as Mrs. Park attentively observed her guest, newly and suddenly arrived.

  
"I guess you had no idea that Chan was bringing you here?"  
Baekhyun nodded, lovely fingers tugging at his shorts to cover his exposed thighs.  
"Park Chanyeol, I thought your governess taught you better manners than that!"

  
Chanyeol leaned back on the sofa, one arm draped protectively over Baekhyun's shoulders.  
"I thought it was time he met the family."  
"About time too," Mrs. Park added affectionately, "I kept badgering him, asking him when we shall get to finally meet you. And here you are."

  
Baekhyun exchanged glances with Chanyeol, he seemed puzzled. There was a question on the tip of his tongue but he looked too bashful to form the words.  
"Yoora noona has already met him." Chanyeol teased his mother.

  
Mrs. Park's nostrils immediately flared, "Why am I not surprised! Why am I always last in your considerations?" She turned to Baekhyun then, "Sweet child, do you see? My own children think naught of me. You should not follow them, you must come to me first." She had a stern tone but her eyes were dancing. Baekhyun was nodding profusely, it seemed he would nod at anything Mrs Park would say that day.

  
"C'mon, mother. Give me credit. Afterall, I brought Baekhyun here to fulfill that one wish you have."

  
Chanyeol took a deep breath as he looked in Baekhyun's eyes.

  
"I love you Baekhyun."

  
There was pin drop silence. For once, Mrs. Park had the good sense to keep quiet.  
There was a pregnant pause before Chanyeol went on, "I love you. All of you. Have for quite some time now. You have filled every pore of my being with your light, love. There is no space for any one else, not now, not tomorrow, nor for ever." He clutched Baekhyun's shoulder tighter, "So I am asking you to be my forever roommate."

  
Chanyeol drew Baekhyun in for a tight hug when he saw the latter's eyes welling with tears. Mrs. Park dabbed at her eyes too.  
"Are you happy now, mother?" he asked the lady softly, rocking Baekhyun gently, hiding him from the world.

  
"Awwww, you guys." she cooed, "I will give you some privacy. I am going to send some tea and snacks. Stay back for dinner, ok? I will be out in the lawn gardening. Come find me. I would like to congratulate both of you properly."

  
Baekhyun extracted his head from Chanyeol's chest at the soft click of the door.  
"You are terrible." he complained, button rose red and running.  
Chanyeol chuckled, "Payback for doubting me." He kissed Baekhyun's tears away. It took a while but Chanyeol was a patient man.

  
"Your mother is actually so sweet."  
"I bet you were expecting a dragon."  
"Hehe. I was."

  
Chanyeol played with his boyfriend's hair, "She can be quite the dragon when the need arises. But you have a way of charming everyone. What's the secret huh? Is it your round, round bums?"

  
"I love you too." Baekhyun said belatedly.

  
"Can I tell you a secret? I am actually quite relieved to hear that."

  
Baekhyun climbed into Chanyeol's lap, emboldened all of a sudden.  
"Your mother - your mother is so affectionate."  
"She can be, if she has free time on her hands. But she was hardly there when we were growing up. I guess all her maternal feelings came flooding out at the sight of you. I told her you were an orphan, and she will be especially after your case now, smothering you with her love."

  
Chanyeol grazed his hands at Baekhyun's thighs, "Let her have her way with you, and you will find that she is making all your decisions. So be wary of that."  
"I would love that." Baekhyun beamed.

  
Chanyeol shook his head, "I can see that you are ready to eat out of her hands in one meeting alone. Dear lord! What will become of me?"  
Baekhyun giggled, then curled against Chanyeol's chest. "I am Team Chanyeol, so do not worry."

  
"And do NOT agree to move here with me. That'll be her first request."  
"I can't survive without the kids, you know that." came a low purr from around his chest. "You guys are all the family that I need."

  
Chanyeol breathed in his roommate's scent, pleasing, soothing, and magical.

  
"Thank you for happening to me." he said.

 


End file.
